Mats og Joa
by SomeSnowInShell
Summary: Joa is finally getting better, but in the same time, secrets are starting to unfold and Audun is left confused. Just what has happened between Mats and Joa in the past? Nordic-centered AU. DenNor, IceLiech, SuFin etc.
1. Bræður

**AN:** Moi! My name is SomeSnowInShell, but you can call me Su-chan if you want. This is my first story... or first one I've published at least. So, something about it. This is a story about the Nordics, main characters being Norway and Iceland. Iceland is also the narrator. Other Nordics are coming after some chapters (Finland and Sweden probably in third chapter, Den a bit after that). Denmark will have a special role (obviously, this_ is_ a story about Norway, after all). And... before I start to seriously blabber, I'll just tell you the human names and their ages, so you can get over with the story. Oh, and tell me if there is typos, this chapter has been beta'ed heavens know how many times, but that doesn't change the fact that English is not my (or my beta's) native language.

Norway = _Joakim "Joa" Johansen, 22_

Iceland =_ Audun Johansen, 13_

Denmark = _Mathias "Mats" Køhler, 23_

Norway's name is pronounced as "Yo-ah-kim". The first syllable in his last name is pronounced as "Yuu". That's all for me, enjoy!

**Mats og Joa**

**Chapter 1. Brothers**

I watched him from the bed as usual. The only noise in our tiny room came from Joa's pencil. He tapped his fingers to the table's surface and pushed his blond hair out of his face. I could tell he was worried, the calculations probably looked bad. Yes, I could tell, even though he never told me about them. Every night it was Joa's routine to calculate our budget and if we would make it to the end of the month (and pay the rent of this crappy apartment). Earlier we had made it just fine with Joa's earnings but this fall he had been sick a lot and our savings were almost gone. We needed all the money we could get.

"You know," I started, "I could go to the streets tomorrow and-"

"No."

"Why not?"

He fixed his cobalt blue eyes to my icy blue ones.

"You know full well why. We've already had this conversation before. Now go to sleep, Audun."

"No, until you come too."

"Audun. You know I have to finish this first."

"Then I'll wait."

Joa sighed and muttered something about me being such a mule.

"I've learnt it from the master."

He threw a warning look at me.

"...Sorry," I said.

"It doesn't matter." He sighed again and put the pencil and papers away. "I'm ready now."

"Good."

He lied down next to me and I snuggled closer to his warm body. (No, not that way you perverts, it's just that our sheets are so crazily thin!) Suddenly, Joa's chest shook against my cheek as powerful coughs fell from his lips. I frowned. Was the cough back again? It was just the previous week he had his last fever.

"Joa," I said as I looked up to catch a glimpse of his face. Our eyes met.

"I'm alright." He said and ruffled my already tousled silver-white hair.

Silence.

"Joa," I started again.

"Hm?"

"Joa, could I go to the streets and-?"

"Audun. I already said no. Why can't you listen?"

"But, Joa!"

"No buts, Audun. You know the reason."

Yes, I knew. I understood why Joa was so strict about this. He was scared. He was scared that something bad would happen to me. That someone would kidnap me (that almost happened when I was younger) or rape me or something like that. He was scared of losing me. After all, we only had each other.

But there was also something he didn't understand. Joa didn't understand that that feeling was shared. I was also scared of losing him. I was scared that he would someday kill himself with too much working.

Not to mention that cough. Or his repeating fevers.

"Joa. I'm not seven anymore. I'll be alright. I can take care of myself."

"Audun. That's not the only reason. We're not _that_ poor...", he trailed off.

Okay. He didn't want to think we were so poor that I would have to beg for money.

"Joa. I wouldn't _beg_ for the money. I would be a street musician. There's a difference."

Joa closed his eyes with a pained look. I could see him thinking hard and contemplating the pros and cons.

"Alright." He finally said after a long while, so quietly that I almost didn't catch it.

"Yes! You're not going to regret this!"

"Just promise me that you don't talk to the strangers. Especially, don't give them any names or personal information. Okay?"

"Don't worry. I promise. I'll just play the violin."

After that I fell asleep with a little smile on my face.

**AN: **There's also a bit of a story behind Norway's name / the name of this fic. (You can jump over this if you want) I was reading my Swedish book one day, when this phrase catched my eye

**Mats och Joakim går i samma skola.** (= Mats and Joakim are going to the same school.)

And my brain just worked like_ 'Mats = Mathias = Denmark and... hey! Joakim actually suits Norway!'_. Almost immediately Norway also got his nickname. And so, this story was born (it was just a nameless idea before the main cast got their names).

Please review!

(Second chapter is about half-way or third-way done.)


	2. Bara annan dag

**AN:** O.O I got... 4 Alerts! That's just... wow... You know, I actually joked to one friend of mine about how my e-mail was going to get blocked with reviews and all, but... that was a JOKE! I didn't expect that to actually happen! Just... wow. Wow... wow... wow... wow... wow... wow... wow...

Finland: Oh my... Looks like she's so shocked that she lost her ability to speak... ^^;

Su-chan: ...wow... wow... wow... wo- Finland!

Finland: *startle*

Su-chan: Finland! It is you! Happy Birthday!

Finland: You remembered? Thank you! :D

Su-chan: Of course! And now that I'm back to my senses, I want say big thank you's to **Norwegian boredom**, **arashikaze**, **The National Insecurity **and **Shadsie Black** for giving Alerts. And to **Valoilmie** for the first review and Favorite and for dropping the author's jaw. And everyone else that used their precious time to read the first chapter and are now back for the second.

Also, this time I'm not going to be an absent-minded idiot and forget the disclaimer. Finland, could you...?

Finland: Oh, **Hetalia - Axis Powers belongs to Himaruya Hidekaz.**

Su-chan: Thank you! Enjoy the chapter 2!

P.S. There's also one warning for this chapter: Audun got up on the wrong side of the bed, so he was a bit... hissy... for the first part of this chapter.

**"Mats og Joa"**

**Chapter 2: Just another day**

When I woke up the next morning, Joa had already left for work. I sighed, it was way too little time in my opinion that I saw him at home. Looking at the fridge (that, thank heavens, hadn't melted during the night) I found out he hadn't eaten. Again.

"Is he _trying_ to kill himself?", I yelled out in frustration.

The I thought for a bit. Probably not. Probably he was just trying to make sure that _I_ got something to eat. I _had_ told him that he needed to eat too, but did he listen? Never!

Tch, which one of us was the mule again?

_But, we're we really that bad off...?_

After a quick breakfast I grasped the violin (well, actually Joa's, he is the one that taught me to play) and ran to the streets.

After half an hour walk, I found a place without any hobos or angry shop owners in sight (yes, there had been a couple of encounters with those). It was a peaceful place within close distance to the local supermarket and 15 minutes walk from our apartment. A bit secluded but that couldn't be helped right now, I could change my spot if needed.

I opened the violin case carefully and placed the violin on my shoulder. I took a deep breath and cleared my mind of unimportant things. I started playing and the violin let out a terrible screech. Several people on the street turned to look at me and a flush of embarrassment made it's way to my cheeks. I could already hear Joa's voice nagging in my head.

"_Audun!_ _What have I told you about relaxing before playing?" He exclaimed at me frustratedly._

"_Sorry, Joa."_

_He sighed. "Let me."_

_He took the violin from my hands and set it on his shoulder with ease. He sounded out couple of strings and tuned the instrument. Joa started his playing with a quick fiddle and then set on a more peaceful but bitter-sweet melody. Just when I was starting to lull into his music, he stopped abruptly._

"_Your turn." He said and gave the violin back to me. Yet, his withdrawn expression made me worried._

"_Now, try again." He guided. "Remember to clear your mind and let the music fill it. Pour your feelings to your music and you won't need any notes."_

I decided to try again but soon found it impossible as Joa's face haunted my mind. So, I decided to try my bravura; singing, instead. Singing always soothed my nerves.

Again, several people turned to look at me, but for different reason this time. Joa had always said I had a good voice but I had never sang with an audience other than him before. People stared at me in awe and it was...kind of nice. Flattering. When I finished my song a little girl, probably only couple of years younger than me, came closer and dropped some coins to the violin case in front of me. After that she asked me to sing her favourite song for her. I gladly complied. After the second song the rest of the people crowded around me, making requests and giving me money. I think I even saw some people putting bills in the violin case! Some older women complained about how someone could send a child of my age to the streets to beg. I told them this had been my own decision and that I wasn't a beggar but a street musician. Somehow, this resulted to them giving me even more money. Not that I minded, of course.

I sang and played the violin until the streets started to quiet down and it started to get cold out there. I counted the money I had earned. I had gotten a bit over 45 dollars! I smiled to myself. We were going to eat like kings tonight! Maybe I could even buy beef to us!

I ran towards the supermarket when I bumped into someone and we both fell over. I lifted my gaze and found myself staring into golden brown eyes of a boy that looked about my age. He had chopped hair and foreign kind of clothes with overly long sleeves that covered his arms all the way to his fingertips. We stared at each other for a long while until he got over his shock, apologized and gathered his fallen shopping bags (which were full of things I couldn't even dream about) and was lost in the crowd as fast as he had appeared.

In the end I ended up making stew. (And don't give me that look. I know what you are thinking! But just because I'm 13 doesn't mean I can't take care of myself! Joa taught me to cook when I was ten. And I've been making all our meals since I turned 12!) Because of the boy earlier I had dropped some of my money and therefore couldn't buy the beef. But this was still going to be the best meal we've had for some time. I had even bought that buttermilk that Joa liked so much (don't ask, I have no idea how he can drink something like _that_).

It was about 10 p.m. when Joa finally came home. I was reading a book on our worn-out brown sofa when I heard the door of our apartment open and close.

"Welcome home!", I shouted out to Joa.

"I'm back...", he answered quietly before falling into a coughing fit.

The cough... It had gotten worse!

By now, Joa had came in my sight still coughing wickedly and almost doubling over by the force of the coughs. I also took in the paleness of his face.

"Are you all right?" I asked cautiously once the coughing ceased.

"I'm okay. I'm going to rest for a bit."

He made his way past the sofa and towards the bed. I looked at him over the back of the sofa.

"Joa, I made stew. It's in the fridge. You just need to microwave it."

"Not hungry."

"Have you eaten anything today?" I asked, now worried.

"Lunch...?"

"Are you_ asking me_?"

"Maybe...", he shrugged.

"Joa!"

"Just joking, Audun," he smirked slightly, "don't worry, I'll eat."

"You better..." He had a terrible sense of humour.

I watched him closely as he walked to the kitchen and pulled the stew out of the fridge and put it into microwave. Then he made his way back to the fridge and pulled out the buttermilk.

"You bought _kjernemelk_?"

"Yeah."

"Where did you get- ?"

"I was at the streets, remember?"

He threw a worried glance at me over his shoulder.

"Don't worry, nothing happened."

Joa sighed and poured himself a glass of buttermilk. The microwave beeped and Joa took his plate out. He walked to the sofa and sat down next to me to eat. Everything was going to be okay.

Later that night the fever rose again.

**(I seriously need some sort of line-breaker)**

Writing this fic has been really fun. I would have never guessed writing Nordics would be this easy (could this because I'm a Nordic myself?). I'm already writing the chapter 3 and I'm just on the part where Finland comes. Denmark also makes a name-appearance, but he hasn't said anything (yet). And Sweden is there.

Oh, if you want to know. In this chapter it was Friday. Chapter 3 is going to be Sunday of the same week.

But what I really wanted to talk about is the characters, precisely Iceland. Did you noticed how he switches between "big boy" and naïve child in this chapter? I think it's rather cute, so I let him do it. 13-year-olds are like that (I have 14-year-old brother and he still seems to do that sometimes *dodges a book thrown by Otouto-kun* even though denies it.). But soon his going to turn 14 (not for some time but still), let's just say Norway's going to be in hell then.

As for Norway... whimsical is a pathetic understatement for him. He's messing up all the little plot I have. He and the boy earlier (I'll let you guess who it was even though it's obvious) who wasn't supposed to make his first appearance in this fic until later. I admit that he too has an important role, but HE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO MAKE APPEARANCE, YET! Damn you whimsical characters... (=I love you!)

Oh, one more thing still. About the part when Iceland asked if Norway had eaten anything. He hadn't. He lied so Ice wouln't worry and then tried to mask it as a joke (which he totally failed if you ask me).

So, until next chapter! Moi moi!

Finland: Review!

P.P.S. The wow-part and jaw-dropping-part actually happened in real life.


	3. 50 dollaria

**AN:** Hello again! Sorry for the delay, this is the first chapter I really had to think about. Like, what I can reveal and what I want to leave for later chapters. And yet again, thank you for all the reviews, Favorites and Alerts! Kiitos!

I'm not sure if I exactly like this chapter, it got a bit boring if you ask me.

The chapter's name is in Finnish becouse, well, Finland makes his first appearance (and the chapter is partly from his POV). I always name the chapters by the main narrator's respective language. Which reminds me... I have one chapter planned from Norway's POV. It's going to be called "Jeg faller".

I beg your pardon for slightly bouncing chapter. This was mostly written in school and my friends always seem to manage to magically show up whenever I take my notebook out. It's like some sort of invitation: "Hey, I'm trying to write! Come and distract me!" I've told them about this and it's starting to form to an inside joke.

Translations at the end. Enjoy~!

**"Mats og Joa"**

**Chapter 3: Fifty dollars**

I stood in the doorway with the violin. "Joa, I'll be going now. I'll come back around lunchtime."

He nodded between coughing fits. "Alright. Take care, Audun."

"You too, Joa, you too. But I'll be going. Bye."

I only got more coughing for answer as I closed the door and started to walk to my normal playing spot.

* * *

My morning had started out just normally. Waking up next to Berwald, showering and getting dressed. Then walking to the kitchen, feeding Hanatamago and making breakfast (oatporridge, Karelian pasty, yoghurt, muesli, coffee and croissants (a gift from Francis)). Berwald came in shortly after and started making omelets. Mathias also showed up lured by the scent of coffee. After gotten some caffeine to his system, he and Berwald had a little argument (nothing unusual, really) and I went to make my typical Sunday-call to Francis to ask him what he needed to the restaurant.

So, I could tell you something about me . My name is Tino Väinämöinen and I'm a 22-year-old Finnish restaurant owner (I do not cook though (unless someone orders Finnish cuisine), I'm the manager of it. The Francis person mentioned earlier is the main chef of my restaurant). I live with my boyfriend Berwald Oxenstierna and his cousin Mathias Køhler in the upstairs of my restaurant. Berwald is Swedish and Mathias is Danish. They're both 23 years old. Berwald works as a carpenter and Mathias runs a bakery near by.

But, back to my typical Sunday. Francis had told me that he needed the normal ingredients for Monday, so me and Berwald left to the supermarket like every Sunday. Mathias said he would watch the house and do some cleaning but we knew he would probably just flop down on the sofa with a beer to watch TV as soon as we were out of the door. Just like every Sunday.

/

_'I don't want to leave him alone...'_, I thought as I walked towards my playing spot. Yesterday, Joa's fever had been so high... I was scared to leave his side. What if something happened when I was away? Then again, what could I do if something _did_ happen? Nothing. Absolutely and utterly nothing. And that thought terrified me even more.

The fever had been higher than ever before and raged his thin body (I swear, he has been losing weight!) mercilessly. At one point he had even became delirious and muttered incoherently for two hours straight. And the cough? It was so bad...! I could feel my very soul ripping apart every time he attempted to hack his lungs out.

Today, he had said he was feeling better and the fever had gone down a bit during the night and so, he had practically pushed me out to the streets. After so many sick days in this month and therefore less income, we really needed money.

I let the violin speak my feelings with heart-breaking melodies. Today, I would play better than ever before. For Joa's sake.

/

Our shopping trip had went just as usual. Picking items and leaving the order for restaurant. Now, we were walking home with Berwald carrying two of our shopping bags while I carried the third (and the lightest) one. Suddenly I heard music and stopped abruptly which resulted to Berwald almost bumping into me.

"Su-san, listen, there's someone playing violin."

As we walked further, we could see the player was a young boy – under 15 years – with snow white hair and saddened eyes. He was playing his violin with such a way I melted.

"Su-san, we have to give him money!"

He stared down at me with his blue eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Please?"

"'k." He started to dig for his wallet (I had spend all my money at the supermarket) and the gave it to me. "H're."

"Thanks!"

We walked a bit closer and watched as the boy ended his song and put the violin down against the wall behind him. Then, with a wary glance to our general direction, the boy opened his mouth and started... singing! And what a voice he had! So angelic, serene and soft! The song didn't have so many words but the pure _feeling_ of it made up the lack of them. I could feel my eyes starting to water.

By the time he ended his song I was dangerously close to tears. The boy had truly touched my heart. I wiped my eyes a bit before I went to talk to him.

"Hei there," I started gently but the boy still looked startled and responded with a shy 'hey'.

"I really liked your songs. You play and sing very good," I continued. Then as an afterthought: "What's your name?"

He hesitated for a moment. "Can't tell."

"Why?" I blurted out before I could stop myself.

"Brother told me not to speak to the strangers."

"Oh. You have a good brother. He must care about you dearly."

"Mm-hmm."

On the other hand, it was a pity. I really wanted to get to know this boy. Suddenly I got an idea.

"Hyvää päivää! My name is Tino Väinämöinen. I keep a restaurant here near by."

He stared at me like I had suddenly grown two green horns or a third eye on my forehead.

"See, I told you my name, so we're not strangers any more!", I told him excitedly. "Now, may I ask your name again?"

He hesitated a long moment before answering. "Audun... I'm Audun."

I shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Audun! Oh! And that's Berwald, my... friend, over there." I pointed Su-san for him.

"Can I ask how old you are?"

He hesitated again. "13."

"You're so young! You should be at school! What about your brother?"

"He works. But he's sick. And we don't have money for doctors."

He had such a sad story. No wonder he could play like that.

"I'm sorry to hear that." I dug to the wallet in my hands and pulled out a 50 dollars note and gave it to him. "Here, take this." Then I backed to Berwald's side.

Audun stared at the note in his hands with his eyes wide and his mouth a little agape.

"Look, Su-san! He's happy!"

"He's shock'd."

Suddenly Audun grasped his violin and took off running.

"Oh! Su-san? Should we follow him?"

"T'no. No."

"Why not~?"

"He's pr'b'bly going h'me. W' sh'uld too."

"Okay..."

/

I rushed in our apartment.

"Joa! Joa!"

"What is it, Audun? Where's the fire?" He sat up in the bed and rubbed his eyes a bit.

"S-sorry! Did I woke you up?", I panted breathlessly.

"No, I was already awake."

"How to you feel?"

"Better, thanks."

"Good. Has the fever gone down?"

"Mm-hmm," he nodded, "I think I'll be able to go back to work tomorrow." He then coughed and held his chest.

"The cough still sounds bad," I frowned.

"It's going to heal soon. Don't worry," he gave me a reassuring smile.

I had to admit he did look better even though he was still paler than usual and had shadows under his eyes. Especially as his blue eyes didn't have the feverish glint any more, I decided to believe him.

"Audun. Did you have some kind of news when you rushed in?", he asked.

"Oh! Yeah."

"Tell me."

I sat on the bed next to him.

"So, I... I met this weird guy while playing. He listened for quite a long time and then came to talk to me. He introduced himself as Tino Väina- Vaina- I can't even even pronounce his name! Vainamainen! I didn't want to tell him my name, I really didn't!"

At this point I glanced fearfully at Joa. He could get really mad at me for this but instead he just stared at me with an unreadable expression and said: "Væinæmøinen? Was that his last name?"

"Yeah. But how did you- ?"

"He's Finnish." And with that Joa nodded me to continue.

"I talked to him some time. Oh, but I did tell him our last name! He was there with some taller guy, who's name I can't remember any more but he was foreign as well. And a bit scary. And then, that Tino guy gave me this." I pulled the fifty dollars from my pocket gave it to Joa's extended hand. He held it against the light from the window.

"It is the real thing." He then turned back to me. "Did you remember to thank him?"

"No..."

"Next time you see him, do it."

"Wait... you're not mad at me even though I talk to a stranger?"

"I am angry about your thoughtlessness but he gave you quite a lot of money so the least you can do is express your gratitude. Besides, you're not really strangers any more as you're on a first name basis," at this point Joa smirked a little. "Just kick him to the groin if he tries to make advances at you."

"Okay..."

**Translations:**

fifty dollars = viisikymmentä dollaria (pronounced: 'vee-se-kewm-mayn-tæ dool-lah-re-ah', the r is rolled)

kiitos = thank you (pronounced: 'kee-toass')

hei = hello, hi (pronounced: 'hay', a bit more formal than 'moi')

hyvää päivää = good afternoon (lit. 'good day', pronounced: 'hew-vææ pæi-vææ')

In Finnish a strong stress will always fall to the first syllable.

Karelian pasty: in Finnish 'karjalanpiirakat'. A type of pasty made of rye flour and filled with rice porridge. Yummy, even though it sounds weird. Often served with 'munavoi' (= egg butter). Google if you want more information. At least check the pictures.

Also, what I've understood, the Danish/Norwegian **ø** and **æ** are like Finnish(/Swedish) **ö** and **ä** and pronounced at least nearly the same. Am I correct? What I tried with these was that Joa would have pronounced Tino's last name with his Norwegian accent.

**Announcement:** After this chapter is published, I'm going to leave to spend my Christmas holidays out in the sticks. Actually it's my aunt's place in the countryside some 60 kilometres from my home town but there's no internet so it's out in the sticks. My school starts again at Jan. 3rd and I'll be back around then. I promise to write as much as possible on my holidays! Chapter 4 will be published ASAP after I get back home.

**HYVÄÄ JOULUA JA ONNELLISTA UUTTA VUOTTA 2011! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011!**

And please review! They always make my day!


	4. Nýja vini

Moi! Pitkästä aikaa! ...ups, väärä kieli... My English has been slacking lately for some odd reason... Let's start again: Moi! Long time no "see"! I know I'm now exactly one month late from my deadline I set to myself. I'm sorry. I had two writer's blocks, got Sims3 as a Christmas present (so I played that a lot, and I made Audun and Joa there as well, so even though I wasn't writing I didn't forget MoJ), had two books to read for Finnish course and an exam week. Oh, and Norway and Iceland complaining about MoJ's plot. Which in Norge's part involves throwing books and other stuff in my head (there's a reason why I've banned Belarus from my head) and giving me the silent treatment. Which reminds me, where is he? He promised to do the disclaimer (it seems I always manage to forget it, so I have to have someone else to do it for me). *yells to the backstage* Norge!

_Silence._

Su-chan: Norge! Are you there?

_No answer._

Su-chan: Fine then, you damn moody pers-OW! *gets hit by a book thrown from the backstage* What was that for?

Norway: I trying to read when you started screaming. Because of you I lost my page. Again.

Su-chan: I wasn't screaming. *rubs head* And it's your own fault. Just do the disclaimer.

Norway: *sigh* She doesn't own. *goes back to read*

Su-chan: Couldn't you be any more blunt...? Anyway, enjoy the chapter. There's going to be long ending notes this time. Also, I apologise for Korea, I tried to think some kind of different way to introduce him, but there were none. I'm sorry, I have nothing against Koreans (I have K-pop on my phone and iPod).

**"Mats og Joa"**

**Chapter 4: New Friends**

The next morning Joa had left for work before I woke up as usual. After a little morning disaster (the fridge had melted) I was in the streets again. I had taken the violin with me but I wasn't going to play. I had a mission: I was looking for Tino.

He had said he had a restaurant "near by" so I was planning to check all the restaurants within close distance to my playing spot.

Luckily there weren't too many, but still enough to keep me occupied for one day.

After two and a half hours and 2 Chinese's, 3 cafés and one pizzeria later I came across to an international one called...

"The Blue Hell Kettle? What the hell?" I quickly slapped a hand over my mouth; Joa didn't approve cursing.

I decided to go in any way. I needed to check this one too, no matter how weird the name was.

In the restaurant I spotted a free waiter and went to ask him. I felt slightly sorry for scaring the poor man.

I tucked his sleeve. "Excuse me, who is the owner of this restaurant?"

"Ah!" He turned to face me. He had brown hair tied in a ponytail and kind green eyes. "Oh, how may I help you?"

"I want to know who owns this restaurant."

"That would be Mr. Tino." _Yes!_ "Do you want to have a word with him? You want me to get him for you?"

"Please."

"All right. Just a minute." The waiter went and left me by the door to wait. I looked around and waited for a good five minutes in the light and cosily decorated dining room. Then I jolted at the sudden clatter.

"Waah! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please don't get mad at meee!"

"what..." I turned to the voice... and found out another brown-haired waiter had tripped and spilled potato soup all over his blond customer. The man's face was starting to redden dangerously. Just then Tino came in with the first waiter.

"Feliciano!"

"I'm sorry, Tino! Don't fire me!" Where had he pulled that white flag?

Tino turned to the customer whose jacket had been ruined by the attack of the potato soup and apologised profusely the clumsiness of his waiter. The man (who had quite a thick German accent) didn't seem to get too mad but accepted Tino's request to pay the wash of his jacket. All this while, Feliciano stared at the man intensely.

When the man was leaving, his jacket folded over his arm, Feliciano spoke again: "Ciao! Come again~!"

This led to another Tino-lecture.

I thought this was chance to go and talk to him. I started to move towards him when I suddenly felt hands snake their way to my chest.

"Your breasts belong to Korea!", a male voice shouted. After that there was a loud _WHACK_ and a wail of pain. Then a female voice continued.

"Yong Soo, you idiot! He's just a young boy!" Another _whack_. I turned around.

"Not to the head, not to the head! Lieeen!", the black-haired man called Yong Soo cried as the rather beautiful woman with long ponytail beat him furiously with a... wooden paddle?

It seemed Tino had heard the commotion Yong Soo and Lien were creating as well as I heard his voice behind me.

"Audun!"

Lien stopped her abuse and we all turned our attention to Tino (Yong Soo while nursing his head). "Do you know this boy?", she asked.

"Mm-hmm." Tino nodded. "This is Audun., the little street musician I told you yesterday."

There was a collective gasp among all a of them. Then Lien got her voice back: "Oh. Now that you mention, he does have a violin with him." She turned to me. "So you're the boy who managed to touch Tino's heart. Nice to meet you, my name is Hoang Thi Lien." She shook my hand.

The rest decided to introduce themselves as well.

"I'm Im Yong Soo, from Korea da-ze!"

"Toris Laurinaitis, nice to meet you."

"I'm Feliciano ve~ Feliciano Vargas. You can call Feli if you you want."

Then they started bombing me with questions like what was I doing there or would I play something for them.

"What's all the rumpus about? I have been waiting for my tea quite a while." New and equally annoyed voice said behind Tino.

"Ah, I'm sorry Arthur! We got carried away. Toris, could you go to get Arthur's tea?" Toris left. "You see, Arthur, Audun here came to visit" He then turned to me. "Right?" I nodded quickly.

The man also turned his attention into me and I had to wince as his vivid green eyes seemed bore right through me. The eyebrows weren't really helping to make his scowl less intimidating either. But then he smiled.

"Audun, was it? So you're him. Nice to meet you." I stared at him and then at Tino. Tino seemed to understand my look of sheer disbelief and scratched the back of his neck nervously. "It kind of slipped... Ahaha..."

Toris brought Arthur's tea. Tino and I took a seat as well as Tino and Arthur started to chat.

"Are you here alone today, Arthur? Where's Alfred?"

"The git had a meeting with Mr. Carlos. He's coming here later."

Suddenly my stomach growled loudly. Tino and Arthur stared at me.

"Are you hungry, Audun?", Tino asked.

I flushed. "Our fridge had melted during the night. I didn't eat breakfast."

"Then we need to fix that! Is it okay with you, Arthur?"

"It's all right. It seems my companion has come anyway." He glared pointedly to the restaurant's door where I could see a young man with blond hair and glasses greeting Toris rather enthusiastically. I also wondered how someone could strain 'companion' like Arthur; as if it was something utterly disgusting but in the same time he made it sound like some sort of endearment term. As Tino and I walked towards the kitchen I heard bits of Arthur and his friend's conversation.

"Artie!"

"Get off me, you git!"

It seemed the same weird straining treatment continued with 'git'. Whatever the word meant.

Tino pushed open the kitchen doors and we stepped to a fairly large but cosy kitchen where three persons were sitting around a large wooden table and taking it... rather easy. I scanned their faces: one European-looking blond-haired man with twinkling blue eyes and slight stubble on his chin; another, an Asian with uh... his(?) long dark brown hair tied in a yet another ponytail and...

"YOU!" It was the boy from last week!

He raised his gaze from the bowl of soup he was eating. "Oh, hi," he said calmly.

The three adults stared at the two of us.

"...Xiang? Do you know this boy, aru?", the feminine man asked.

"We ran into each other last week, Gege." He calmly went back to eating.

"Uh... Yeah. So, Audun, these are my chefs," Tino continued after uncomfortable silence. "The main chef, Francis Bonnefoy," the blond smiled and winked his eye, "second chef, Wang Yao and his younger brother Xiang," the dark-haired man nodded curtly and the boy now known as Xiang waved his hand, "and our kitchen assistant Matthew Williams." Tino pointed out sixth person at the end of the table and the man smiled at me kindly. …Wait, I swear he wasn't there a minute ago.

I didn't get to wonder about that too much though as my stomach let out a painful growl. And yet again I got stared.

"Oh, that one," Tino seemed to remember our main purpose to be there, "Who's going to fix Audun something to eat?"

"I think there's some Dim Sum left from when I made it for Xiang, aru..." Wang said.

"No, there's not, Yao-ge, I ate it all."

"Aiyaah! Xiang! Is your stomach some sort of bottomless pit, aru?"

"No, it's just your cooking that's great."

"Oh, well... thank you, Xiang, aru." Yao (or Wang?) said, pleased.

"I don't think he would like your Chinese. He obviously craves for some gourmet, right, _mon cher_?" Francis leant into me.

"You don't know how to feed children! Your portions hardly cover the plate, aru!"

"They're at it again..." Xiang muttered, "I apologise for Gege and Francis." He said to me as Tino tried to break the fight before it escalated (Yao had already grasped a wok).

I jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Luckily it was only Matthew.

"W-would you like me to make you some pancakes?", he asked quietly.

Pancakes! I hadn't had those in ages!

"Yes please. Do you also put maple syrup on top?"

"Of course," he smiled.

While I ate and Tino told me more about his restaurant. I learnt that Lien was actually a kitchen assistant, but she worked as a waitress as well because the restaurant had a slight shortage of waiters after Feliciano's twin brother Lovino had left and set up his own pizzeria with some Spaniard who was his "not-boyfriend".

After I had eaten, Tino needed to run an errand and he asked me to come with him (and meet yet _another_ friend of his). We walked a good fifteen minutes and then came across to a small bakery and walked in.

Tino greeted the Asian shop assistant confidentially.

"Moi, Kavi! How are you?"

"Hi, Tino. Just peachy ana~"

They chatted about random things until a tall man emerged from what I assumed was either the kitchen or back room.

"Hej, Fin! I knew it was yer voice I heard! Didja come to get something?" The man smiled.

"Yeah. We're having a lot of reservations for tonight and I think we need more bread if we don't want to run out of it. Lien doesn't have time to make all we need as she's busy with waiter stuff. We're especially low on special breads, glutein-free ones, rieska and pasties."

"All right. How much do ya need?"

Mathias sent Kavi to fetch the bread for Tino as they started to chat.

"May I ask, who have ya kidnapped this time, Tino? Wouldn't ya introduce us?" Mathias asked suddenly.

_'Here we go again.'_ I thought.

"I didn't kidnap him! This is Audun, the violin-player Berwald and I met yesterday!"

Mathias' mouth formed a small 'o'. Then he turned to me and grinned. "How are ya, kiddo?"

"Fine. And my name's Audun." I huffed. Annoying.

"So ya play violin, kiddo? Are ya poor?"

"My name's Audun. What does it look like and yes."

"Do ya have enough food at yer home, kiddo?"

"For the last time, my name's - ! ...What?" Had I heard him right?

I looked at Mathias. Like really looked at him. Past his happy-go-lucky attitude and flour-stained clothes, his impossibly styled hair and annoying way of speaking, and past the grin that seemed to be permanently plastered to his face.

I looked at his eyes.

The greyish blue irises were fixed on me. Filled with seriousness, concern, maturity, sympathy and... was that sadness? On the next second, it was gone.

Mathias repeated his question: "I asked if ya had enough food at yer home. You know, I could sell ya some yesterday's bread. I can't sell it to the customers any more and it would be shame to throw good bread away. Of course, ya'll get discount, kiddo."

"That's a good idea, Mathias! Do you have enough money with you, Audun? If you don't, I can lend you some!" Tino exclaimed.

It seemed they were giving me no other choice. "No need, I think I have it..."

~Later that night~

I was reading when Joa came home from work. He made a bee-line to the kitchen and took one look inside before turning to face me.

"...Audun?" He said in a confused but testing tone.

"Hm?"

"Why is there a ton of bread in our kitchen?"

I smirked and purposefully dodged his question. "There's buns too. Take one, they're good."

He gave me one funny look. It took all my will power not to laugh.

**/ / /**

**Ending notes:**

I'm trying to make every country to make an appearange in this fic. Mr. Carlos is Cuba, he's Arthur and Alfred's boss.

**Translations:** I think there's really nothing that would need translating, except maybe my little slip of Finnish at the start... though I said the same thing in English aside from "ups, väärä kieli" which means "oops, wrong language". So, yeah.

Ages of the characters that made their first appearange in this chapter (Tino's staff):

Feliciano (Italy): 21  
Toris (Lithuania): 22  
Yong Soo (Korea): 19  
Lien (Vietnam): 19  
Xiang (Hong Kong): 13  
Yao (China): 24  
Francis (France): 24  
Matthew (Canada): 19

Kavi (Thailand): 20 (Mathias' assistant)

I purposefully left out Arthur, Alfred and Ludwig. Their ages are told later.

**Random notes:**

**-**I gave Mathias "an annoying way of speaking", becouse normal English just didn't seem to fit to his mouth. And "kiddo" is here for stay.

**-**Audun is not familiar with Eastern order of names, which is why he calls Yao Wang at first. I guess Joa hasn't thought that worth to mention.

**-**Lien's "paddle" is actually the thing you take bread from baking oven. My dictionaries failed me (again), so I don't know what the thing is called in English. Anyone care to enlighten me?

**-**The buns Audun mentioned at the end: Mathias gave them into the bargain.

**-**I also wonder how no-one asked me if Joa and Tino know each other from somewhere, as Joa recognised Tino's last name. The answer is no, they do not know each other (yet). Joa just recognised Tino's name as Finnish, 'cause in no other language (that I know, at least) people's last names end with -nen (my last name ends with that too, btw). That is purely Finnish. Also, I wouldn't wonder if Norway/Joa has read the Kalevala.

**-**I have no idea what Xiang is doing at the restaurant, it's about lunch time Audun is there, so Xiang should have been at school.

**Announcement:** (I really seem to like making these) My little 'family' has grown with two, no, three new 'children' called "On the Edge", "Unparalleled" and "MoJ: Side Stories". Little introductions about them.

"On the Edge": Nordic High School AU with a little love triangle(/rectangle?). When unattainable love leads to a tragedy. Probably going to be a oneshot or at most 4-5 chapters long if I can't keep it as a oneshot (read: want it to have a happy ending). -Writing-

"Unparalleled": This is actually MoJ's younger twin, as I had the ideas about the same time, but as I started to work on MoJ, I kind of forgot this. A while ago, I found my notes about this story again, and started to develop it. The story behind this idea is: I was watching Artistic Gymnastics European Championships on TV in the same weekend I wrote MoJ's first chapter (if my memory serves me correctly) and there were Nordic flags on the background. You can guess the rest of the story. Will be multi-chaptered. -Researching/Writing-

"MoJ: Side Stories": I've become aware that I can't use all my ideas in the main story, so I'm probably going to make a series of side stories. It would consist of characters childhood stories, side characters life stories (I've thought everything about them, but I probably can't tell those on the main story line), side pairing stories (I can probably just mention that those two are together in the main story, but nothing about how they met or how they live, like the USUK in this chapter, I've thought every single thing about their relationship, how they met and so on, but I can't tell it in the main story). There is also going to be a story about the restaurant's real name (the one mentioned this chapter is a _shortened_ version), 'cause I can't take that up in the main story. There, I'm also going to write more E-Academy stories (It's a school I made for this fic, I will explain it officially in the next chapter), as E-Academy will be mentioned about two or three times in the main story. And I even drew school uniforms for them! And thought who would be the teachers there! -Planning-

Also, now that I mentioned drawing, I've been drawing quite a lot of pictures for MoJ. Mostly on my notebooks. At school. (Don't I have great attention span at school XD?) Like this one picture in my Finnish notebook (it was big enough, my only notebook that's A4!) of Joa and Audun walking down a shopping street with Joa's long coat open and flowing behind him as it's a bit windy and Audun looking embarrasshed because he has forgotten his coat and then gotten cold and because of this, Joa has wrapped his scarf around Audun's neck to keep him warm. In the picture, Joa's just looking calmly at the shop windows and Audun's staring straight at you with pouty and distrustful expression. It's Christmas sale and other countries ahoges can be found from background. Right now, I'm mass producing Norge-pictures. I always manage to forget that he wears the cross in his hair _upside down_! Also, I've never drawn him with his hat, 'cause I like drawing his hair way too much.

But now i have blabbered enough, **please review, constructive criticism is also appreciated!** (I can't help but feel self-conscious about writing style sometimes, as it's so different from everyone else's here!) 5th chapter has been started as well, it's probably going to be long, and as the plot thickens and I have to think more about what I write, you can wait the next chapter about half-way of March (though I try to be faster!).


	5. Þegar hlutirnir snúa við verstu

Hi again! This time I didn't miss my deadline! Yay! *pumps fist into air* I've also been writing other stories. "Unparalleled" and "I Wonder" will be published when I think I have enough chapters ready! :D

Norway: I thought you were depressed just a moment ago.  
Su-chan: What? Depressed? What fo- oh. That. *turns to readers* You didn't give me any reviews last time!  
Iceland: Why did you had to remind her?  
Norway: *looks a bit traumatized* You weren't with her when she was depressed.  
Su-chan: Oh yeah. Norge had pretty hard time with me. ^^' Though I must say, he sucks at comforting people.  
Norway: Shut it. *throws a book*  
Su-chan: OW! I told you not to throw the insanely thick ones! D: Oh and Ice, now that you're here, would you do the disclaimer?  
Iceland: No.  
Su-chan: Please?  
Iceland: No.  
Su-chan: Pretty, pretty please and a cherry on top?  
Iceland: *looks disgusted* What was that one? And, let me think... No.  
Su-chan: Damn it. I need a Hero! *silence* Damn, that didn't work either!  
Iceland: Serves you right.  
Su-chan: You're mean!  
America: Did someone call for a Hero?  
Su-chan: Awesome! You came! America, I need you to do the disclaimer.  
America: *tilts head* A dis- what?  
Su-chan, Norway and Iceland: *face-palm*  
America: Oh! A disclaimer! Of course I know what that is!  
Su-chan: Will you do it for me? Nor and Ice are being mean!  
America: SomeSnowInShell doesn't own Hetalia Axis Powers. It belongs to Himaruya Hidekaz. If she would own it... uh...  
Su-chan: ...There would be a lot more of the Nordics. Thank you, America! We don't need you anymore! *pushes America off screen*

And now, I must say this is one of my favourite chapters. And Norway's least favourite one. And Ice's gonna murder me for the next one...

Anyway, enjoy~~!

**"Mats ****og ****Joa"**

**Chapter 5: When things turn to the worst**

On the following week or so, I started to spend a lot of time at Tino's restaurant. Sometimes I played to the customers (especially a woman called Elizaveta had taken a liking for me), sometimes I ran errands for him (like taking some letters to post office or visiting Mathias, who _still_ insisting on addressing me as "kiddo"). Tino also paid me for helping him. Sometimes when Xiang came home from school and Tino said I had done enough for one day, Xiang and I talked while he made his homework or walked Tino's dog Hanatamago or played together (he went to the E-Academy and played the flute and the piano). Sometimes Xiang and Yao's adoptive sister Lin Mei was with us as well. She played the pipa and the harp.

_It was the first time I saw him coming from school. In his uniform. I recognised it immediately. The red plaited trousers, dress shirt and small red tie on his neck and on top, black sweater with the school's coat of arms on the left side of his chest._

"_You go to E-Academy! ?" I exclaimed to him bewilderedly._

"_Yes," Xiang answered calmly. "Mei and I have gone there ever since elementary."_

"_wow..." was all I could say._

_E-Academy, Edelstein Music Academy, E.M.A, Edelstein Academy for Musically Gifted... it had many names. The school's history was quite young but in the last twenty or some years of it's existence in America it had already become famous. They took in only the most talented musicians and singers. It was a huge honour to receive a letter of invitation to E-Academy._

"_wow..."_

"_Did you stuck on repeat?" Xiang laughed._

At home things weren't going as smoothly. Even though Joa had said so, his cough wasn't getting any better. More often than not the coughing fits left him gasping for breath and he was always tired. So tired, that when he got home from work he just went straight to the bed. Often without dinner. I had to force him to eat. He was so _thin_ it was starting to scare me. Even when he spoke, he sounded out of breath.

It was one of those days I also met Peter, Tino's charge. Actually he was Arthur 8-year-old brother but because Arthur was always busy with his work at Tino's father's company (Yes, that came as a surprise to me too. Tino was actually filthy rich!) so Peter often came to Tino's restaurant after school and Arthur picked him up there after work. Which sometimes could take quite late. It wasn't unusual that Peter would stay the night at Tino's.

And it was also one of those days when Xiang came up with the news.

"Audun," he said as he tuned the piano in the middle of the restaurant's dining hall. "My teacher wants to hear you sing."

"What?" I asked. Had I really heard right? Xiang wasn't joking? (I had already learnt that he had a twisted sense of humour that usually had hints of sarcasm as well)

"Yeah. Seems like Elizaveta told Mr. Edelstein about you. Now he wants to come here to listen you."

"...Oh."

"Yeah. I understand, this comes quickly. Also, Mr. Edelstein can't come here during school hours so you have to hold him a little concert in the evening."

"O-okay. I have to ask brother first."

Tino, of course, was over-joyed of the idea of holding a concert in the restaurant.

"Oh, that's going to be so fun!" He gushed and then pointed a finger at me. "You said your brother plays as well, right? You _have to_ bring him too! If he plays and you sing Mr. Edelstein is going to surely be delighted!"

"I-I'll ask him. But I can't promise anything yet."

Elizaveta was happy as well. She said she would tell the good news to E-Academy's headmaster, her boyfriend, Roderich Edelstein.

Later that night after Joa got home from work I asked him like I had promised to Xiang, Tino and Elizaveta. To my surprise, he agreed.

"Sure. Is he going to pay you for holding a concert?"

We hadn't talked about that but probably Tino would use every excuse to give me money. I told him that. "Are you going to come?"

"I'll try. I'll ask my boss to give me the night off."

"Okay!"

However, things didn't go as planned.

/ / / / / /

"I made some soup you can warm up and eat while I'm gone. It's in the fridge. I'm also going to put cool towels in bathroom if you need them. Joa, are you listening?" Audun was walking around the apartment.

I opened my eyes tiredly. He was staring at me worriedly. "Are you alright?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but all I got out was a bunch of painful coughs. I could feel my lungs rattle. Audun was by my side in seconds and helped me to sit up so I could breathe easier. "Don't worry," I said finally when the coughing fit ceased. He didn't look convinced but turned away and went to the bathroom. I closed my eyes again as I felt too exhausted to keep them open.

I must have dozed off for a moment because next thing I knew was Audun's cool hand on my forehead and a grim expression on his features. "The fever's really bad..." he whispered, probably more to himself than to me, and put a cool towel on my forehead. Then he cleared his throat. "I have to go now... A-are you going to be okay?"

"Wait a bit, Audun." I took a hold of his sleeve. "Are you going to wear those?"

"Is there something wrong with this outfit?" He asked and looked down on what he was wearing: worn-out brownish jeans and my old white dress shirt that was a bit too big for him and on his feet he was wearing his sneakers. Old and tattered it was still the best he had.

"I thought you were going to wear those and I had you a matching jacket made."

"What? With what money?" He exclaimed.

"I used some of our savings. The jacket's in the coat rack. Try it on."

"If you had so much money you should have gone to the doctors!"

"Too late now, the cough is going to heal on it's own anyway. Just try the jacket on. I thought you should wear something better when meeting someone like Mr. Edelstein."

Audun stomped off to the hallway. After a few minutes he came back wearing the brown jacket."I still think you should have gone to the doctors! There, the jacket fits perfectly. Are you happy now?"

"Very. Now go to the desk and open the first drawer. There is a white silk ribbon. Bring it to me, I'll tie it on your neck. Also, give this to Tino." I gave him a piece of paper.

Audun did as I told but when I was tying the ribbon he opened his mouth again.

"What if the cough doesn't heal? What if it turns into something really bad? What would we do then? What would I do? ! You could-!" His voice got higher and more agitated as he went on until he was unable to continue and his eyes were full of desperation and glistened with unshed tears.

I tried to give him a reassuring look and hug him to calm him down. "The cough is going to heal. Nothing bad is going to happen to me. Don't worry, Audun, I've got it all under control." But Audun tore away from my arms and ran a couple of steps away from me. Then he turned towards me with his eyes blazing with anger. "Stop lying to me! You not fooling me any more!" He ran out of the door and slammed the door shut after him.

"Audun!" I tried to yell and ran after him but a new coughing fit emptied my attempts and I had to sit down as the room started to spin. I hacked until I felt something splatter in my hand. _'Oh no. Not now...'_

I knew. I had been lying to Audun. Even though more than lying to Audun, I had been lying to myself. I had nothing under control. Something was seriously – possibly even fatally – wrong with me. I could feel it. Something was eating me from the inside. A somber smile made it's way to my lips as the liquid seeped from between them to the pillow I had fallen. Now it was too late to tell Audun. This was probably the end of me. _'I wonder, what is he going to do...?'_

And with that everything blackened in my eyes.

/ / / / / /

I ran through the darkening streets. I was already a bit late because of Joa and his stupid idea of getting me a new jacket made just because some guy from a music academy. He could have used all that money for getting himself back to health! And with Joa being healthy again our financial problems would have been history!

Of course I felt bad for yelling at him when he was sick but...!

_'I just wish I can apologise later...'_

Before soon I saw the lights of the restaurant and ran in. "I'm sorry I'm late!" I shouted to Tino as soon as I saw him. "It's alright. Mr. Edelstein is just eating. You look handsome tonight. Is that a new jacket? And wasn't your brother supposed to come too?" Tino asked and looked around.

"He got a fever again and couldn't make it. He sent a message. I suppose it's an apology." I gave him the piece of paper Joa had given to me. Tino opened the folded paper and his eyes scanned it. "You're right. It's an apology. It says 'I'm sorry I couldn't make it there. Please take care and look after Audun. J.J.'" He turned to look at me. "'J.J.'?"

"He likes to use his initials as his signature. I guess I can tell our last name now. I'm Audun Johansen."

"Oh. Nice to meet you, Audun." Tino smiled. "Would you like something to eat before you play?"

"I don't know if I can keep anything in."

Tino just laughed. "Are you nervous? You could always try toast or something light like that. And then you should go to meet Xiang. Some of his friends want to meet you as well."

"A-alright."

When I was eating (more like trying to keep the toast inside) Xiang came to talk to me followed by Mei and two other girls. First girl had short blonde hair with a blue ribbon on the right side and big green eyes and was dressed in a red striped dress. I thought she was pretty. Second girl had tanned skin and brown eyes and her dark hair was tied in two red ribbons. Her dress was azure. Xiang and Mei were dressed in their traditional Chinese clothing.

Shit. I think I now understand Joa's idea of getting me a new jacket. Everyone were wearing their best. I was getting self-conscious about my clothes.

"Hi, Audun. Two of our friends from school came to listen to you too. I hope you don't mind." Xiang said.

"We're also going to play tonight. Tino's idea. And Elise and Xiang are going to accompany you with piano if you want." Mei continued and then nodded to the two girls so they would introduce themselves.

The blonde girl glanced at her friend and then opened her mouth. She had a beautiful voice and I guessed she was a singer. "My name is Elise Zwingli. I'm here with my brother who is sitting there." She pointed her hand slightly behind me. "I'm in the same class with Xiang, Mei and Victoria and I play the piano and sing as a soprano."

Then was the dark haired girl's turn. "I'm Victoria Sesel. Liz and Mei are my best friends and I play sitar and sing in the school's choir as an alto."

"And then there would be Marc as well but he managed to catch a flu and couldn't come," Xiang said.

"That's what he gets when he doesn't wear his sweater at winter!" Victoria said.

"Marc?" I asked Mei.

"Marcello Casagrande, our friend from neighbourhood class. Italian." The last part was said with a certain animosity.

"Okay..." I sweat-dropped. What was so bad about being an Italian?

"Audun?" I turned to Elise. "Yes?"

"Um... I heard that you had a brother and he was coming here as well to play with you but... I can't see him anywhere... Where is he?"

"That's true," Mei said, "wasn't he supposed to come?"

"He got sick and couldn't come." Why were everyone asking about Joa? Thinking him sick at home after I had argued with him was making me sad.

"I sorry to hear that. I would feel horrible if my brother got sick and I'd have leave him." Elise was so nice as well.

After that we talked together and I got to know Elise and Victoria better but all too soon Tino came to tell me that Mr. Edelstein had eaten and now wanted to meet me. The others wished me good luck and I followed Tino in front of an surprisingly young but aristocratic looking man with curly black hair and glasses. Elizaveta was sitting next to him and winked to me. I send back a weak smile.

"You are Audun?" He asked and seemed to examine me from head to toes. Even his voice fit to his appearance though he spoke with a slight lisp. It was making me nervous.

"Yes, sir."

"Full name?"

"Audun Johansen." For the first time I could see some change in his expression as he lifted his eyebrows slightly at my last name. He wrote my name in the papers he had dug from somewhere.

"I guess you already know who I am."

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Can I see your instrument?"

"Yes, sir." I handed the violin to him. (I had already taken it from it's case.)

"Hm. Cremona ¾, am I correct?"

"Yes, sir."

He tested the violin by playing a couple of strings. "And very beautiful sound too."

"Thank you, sir. Also, is there something funny in my last name?" The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

Mr. Edelstein turned to look at me. "No," he answered, "my father just had a very talented student nearly ten years ago called Joakim Johansen. He was a bit older than you when he unexpectedly stopped playing and disappeared. No-one has heard of him since then."

_'Joa?'_

"Now, would you play for me?" Mr. Edelstein continued.

"Yes, sir." I took the violin and moved to the middle of the dining hall. I tucked the violin under my chin and started to play. By the time I ended my piece (that I had improvised by the way) the audience burst into applause. I bowed and noted that even Mr. Edelstein was clapping his hands a bit. Xiang who was sitting close to me whispered: "Sing!"

I handed the violin to him and moved back to the centre of the floor. I chose to sing a Norwegian lullaby Joa had taught me once. Or actually, the English version of it.

When I finished the applause was even bigger and Mr. Edelstein looked impressed too while making notes. Then he waved me back to speak to me. Xiang gave the violin back and went to play the piano for the restaurant's customers. Elise and Victoria soon followed him and started to sing. Mei took out her pipa. I could hear they were all very good.

"You're very good, Audun," I turned to Mr. Edelstein. "Can I ask who has taught you to play the violin? Also, what was that song called? I don't think I've heard it before."

"I... Thank you. It's my brother who's been teaching me. I, uh, improvised the violin piece and the song was a Norwegian lullaby he has taught to me."

"Aha. I would like to meet him someday. He has taught you well. What is his name?"

"He doesn't want me to give his name to strangers."

"Oh. What a pity. Tell him about my request though."

"I will."

"Now, would you play another piece, this time something composed."

I blushed. "...Yes, sir."

I chose one of Mozart's violin concertos that Joa had given me study. And again I tucked the violin under my chin and played. The piece was pretty hard and I knew I made some mistakes but I still continued to the end.

Mr. Edelstein and other customers applauded and he was looking very satisfied. "You chose pretty hard piece. And it went better than I expected. How long have you played the violin?"

"About five years."

He lifted his eyebrows again. "I'm impressed, Audun. You're an uncut diamond. I've made my decision. I want you in E-Academy."

And with that statement all hell brake loose. Tino and others rushed to hug and congratulate me (I think the girls hugged me as well). Mr. Edelstein also told me to get a school uniform and books quickly because I was starting IMMEDIATELY. Tino told me not worry about money as he was going to pay all. "Congrats, kiddo!" Oh great, Mathias was there too. After Mr. Edelstein and Elizaveta had left we celebrated on our own table. Before I noticed it was getting really late.

"I have to go home." I told the others.

"Are you sure it's safe for you to walk alone this late, kiddo?" Mathias, of course. Others agreed.

"Don't worry, the walk is not that long."

And so they let me go. "See you tomorrow, Xiang and Mei!"

"See ya!"

I rushed the way home and ran the steps to our apartment in the second floor. I was bursting with news and couldn't wait to tell them to Joa.

I banged the door open. "Joa!" No answer. "Joa! They liked me! I got a place to the E-Academy! And Mr. Edelstein knew about you! Joa?" Was he sleeping? I walked to the the living room to see him laying on the bed. He hadn't even stirred, even though I had been rather loud.

"Joa? Are you still mad at me about earlier? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled to you. I guess I was just really worried and nervous about the concert." Still no answer.

"Joa?" I went to shook him awake. He was ice cold to touch. "Joa, I already said I'm sorry, please answer to me!" I shook him harder but his eyes stayed closed. "Joa, this is not funny any more!" I gave him the final shook which was so powerful he turned from his side to his back. That's when I noticed the stain in the pillow.

_Blood._

**_BorderBorderBorder~_**

It's a cliff-hanger! Yay! (and now all the readers are gonna kill me as well...)

If it helps anything I can say he's not dead.

Marcello Casagrande is Seborga  
Lin Mei is Taiwan  
Elise Zwingli is Liechtenstein  
Victoria Sesel is Seychelles

Also, this story is splitted in 3 parts: Present, Past and Future. Present concentrates on Audun, Past concentrates on Joa and Future is about them both. I'll tell you when it changes to Past. I'm probably going to change the summary then.

On this chapter we got to know a bit of Joa's past. But in Past there's going to be a lot more. The stuff's gonna be pretty dark. *Cheshire Cat-grin* WHACK! *gets hit with an insanely thick book and losts consciousness*

Norway: Review. I don't wan't to repeat my experience.


	6. Sóttkví

Norway: *clears throat* Hello readers. This time I'm alone in charge here as, uh, Su-chan's at the moment too busy running away from enraged Iceland. She left me a list of things I have to say.

_Noises from background: clatter and screams_

Norway: *yells to the background* Don't kill her with her bow Ice! ...And don't use yours either!  
Norway: Where was I again? Yes, she should be back by ending notes if she's still alive by then, she feels compelled to answer your reviews.  
Norway: *reads from the list* First... She wants to thank you all for wonderful reviews... and I want to say my personal thank yous as well. I didn't have to repeat my slightly traumatizing *shudders* experience even though I'm not sure I enjoy her cheery side either. It reminds me a bit too much of Danmark.  
Denmark: I'm sorry I'm late!  
Norway: Speak of the devil... What are _you_ doing here, Danmark?  
Denmark: I came to help you of course, Norge! Didn't she tell you?  
Norway: ... ...She's dead. That little she-devil...  
Denmark: It's all right, Norge. I'm here. Just take it easy. Remember your blood pressure.  
Norway: You're not helping, _idiot_.  
Denmark: But I want to! *plucks the list from Norge's hand* Let's see... She wants me to do the disclaimer! So here goes: SomeSnowInShell doesn't own Hetalia - Axis Powers. It belongs to Himaruya Hidekaz.  
Denmark: Also, in this chapter there's gonna be my POV as well! My POV more than Swede's POV! That feels sweet! *laugh*  
Denmark: Are ya okay, Norge? You haven't said anything for a while...  
Norway: ... *surrounded by a dark aura*  
Denmark: Oh, shit. I think he's planning Su-chan's murder... *laugh* Anyway...

ENJOY!

* * *

"**Mats og Joa"**

**Chapter 6: Quarantine**

I ran through the dark streets as the tears streamed down my cheeks. I had to get to Tino. I had to get to Tino! He was the only one who could help!

The worst had happened.

/ / / / / / (Mathias) / / / / / /

It had been only about half an hour since the kiddo had left (and after him, everyone else) and we were tiding up the restaurant. Suddenly he burst in crying for Tino.

"T-Tino!" He gasped for breath and sobbed. It seemed like he had ran all the way.

"Audun? What happened? Are you all right?"

He nodded frantically. "It's... It's Joa. I-I went home... I couldn't wake him up! …Blood..." He started to cry harder. I froze. Joa?

Tino's eyes widened. "Berwald! Get the car!" He yelled and then turned back to Audun and tried to calm him down. "Don't worry, we're going to get him to the hospital."

/ / / / / / (Tino) / / / / / /

Berwald drove as fast as he could (it was a miracle no polices stopped us). Audun was trying his best to tell him where to drive even though he was still hiccuping a bit after crying so much. Mathias seemed to be deep in thought.

Soon we pulled in front of an old and ramshackle apartment house and Audun ran the steps to the second floor with rest of us on his heels. We stopped in front of apartment number 14 and Audun started to dig his pockets. "Oh no, I think I forgot the key inside." "Do we need ta brake the the door down?" Mathias asked. "No need. And the landlady would get really mad for that." Audun grasped the door knob and then gave three good kicks to the door's bottom left and we heard a small 'click'. Audun opened the door and rushed in.

We followed him into a fairly large one-room apartment. We walked through a short hallway and saw a coat rack on our right side and on our left was a door that read 'WC'. In the living room/bed room there was a worn-out brown sofa and in front of it a small table and a level with a small TV on it. There was also a desk with some papers on it, a book shelve and a little drawer. I also caught a glimpse of the kitchen where I could see some of the bread Mathias had sold to Audun.

Audun himself had ran to the bed that was placed behind the sofa. The light from the window fell on a body of a blond-haired young man.

Wait a sec.

I stared Audun and then the man on the bed that he had claimed to be his brother and then back to Audun. It was possible. I had just thought looking at Audun that his brother, this Joa, would be a lot younger, only a couple of years older than Audun himself. Now it seemed Audun was an evening star.

"It's 'im..." Berwald muttered behind me.

"What? Do you know him from somewhere?" I whispered back.

"Are you going to help him or not! ?" Audun was starting to panic again.

"Yea. Stop whispering with yerselves! We got ta get him to doctors!" Mathias lifted limp Joa in his arms and said: "Let's go." He was taking this surprisingly seriously.

"I'll tell y' l'ter." Berwald whispered to me and we followed Mathias and Audun out.

Back in the car Audun's waterworks started again and he clung to Joa's hand like his life depended from it. Which one's life, I'm not sure.

/ / / / / / (Mathias) / / / / / /

I hold him in my arms in the car and petted his hair. The once beautiful, shiny and healthy looking hair was now lackluster and matted with sweat and filth. I smiled a bit though when I found he was still wearing his dear hair clip but that didn't change the fact that he was very pale and felt much too light in my arms.

Audun clung from his hand and sobbed. I didn't remember him ever saying he had a younger brother but on the other hand Audun was so young maybe after... no. I didn't want to think back on those days. I could feel tears burning in my own eyes as well. What on earth had happened to him?

Suddenly he stirred in my arms and opened his eyes. Still as blue as I remembered but now feverish and unfocused. His gaze travelled over his surroundings and remained a moment on Audun before came to rest on my face. For a moment his eyes seemed to gain focus and a spark of recognition lit them before he started to cough up blood again and lost consciousness. Audun panicked and started to cry harder.

One tear slid down my cheek as well and I quickly wiped it off.

/ / / / / / (Tino) / / / / / /

We finally made it to the hospital and the doctors took Joa away in stretchers. Audun was reluctant to let go of Joa's hand and started to cry when we had to pry him off. After that he got some papers to fill for his brother. I asked if he needed help with them but he told us Joa had tutored him at home and therefore he could read and write perfectly fine on his own.

And then we just waited. After an hour or so Audun fell asleep leaning to my shoulder, exhausted with all the crying and the day's events. Mathias seemed to be lost in his own little world again and the look in his eyes reflected a great deal of conflicted emotions.

"Su-san," I whispered.

"Wha 's it?"

"You said earlier... that you knew Joa from somewhere..."

"Oh. That." Berwald searched the right words for a moment. "Y' r'member the t'me wh'n F'liks and T'ris went on a h'liday t'gether? He c'me ta work as a s'bstitut' th'n."

/ / / / / / (Berwald) / / / / / /

_Tha' was a day in the start of September. Feliks, my assistant and Toris, his best friend or something like that (and Tino's employee) had gone on a holiday together to visit their motherlands. I had just taped the help wanted-sign to the window and started to make a table to Mr. Adnan when he walked in. A young man with blond hair and a cross like hair clip in it and eyes blue as the sea. Dressed casually in jeans, dress shirt, and a long coat that was held open._

"_Hello, I noticed the sign on the window."_

"_H'llo, yes, m' ass'stant left for a h'liday. He will be g'ne tw' weeks."_

"_I can take his place until he comes back. I'm currently unemployed and I kinda need money."_

"_Can y' do math'matics?"_

"_Yes. I had advanced mathematics at high school."_

"_S'unds good. Do y' h've yer CV w'th y'?"_

"_Yes. Here."_

_I looked through his CV. Various different jobs around the towns and cities of East Coast. "Joakim Johansen?"_

"_Yes, that's my name. But please, just call me Joa."_

_For a moment I had a feeling I had heard the name before._

/ / / / / / ( Tino) / / / / / /

"Ooh! I remember that now!" I exclaimed, quietly though as we didn't want to disturb Audun or Mathias, who also had nodded off a while ago. "What kind of person he was? Did you get along well?"

"He kept pr'tty much ta hims'lf bu' he was v'ry tr'stw'rthy empl'yee, unl'ke F'liks, he was alw'ys on t'me an' he did his work consc'entiously. W' got 'long just fine."

"Oh?"

"Bu' I also r'member som'thing else..."

/ / / / / / (Berwald) / / / / / /

_Every once in a while, mostly when he thought I wasn't looking, he would cough in his hand._

"_Are y' all r'ght, Joa?"_

"_Oh." He looked up from his work. "Yes, I'm all right. I catch a flu few days ago and the cough just hasn't healed yet. It's nothing to worry about."_

"_'k. Just t'ke care 'f yers'lf. I don't w'nt ta get a st'nd-in fo' a st'nd-in."_

"_Yes, I understand, Mr. Berwald." He laughed._

_But before soon it was time to say goodbyes as Feliks was coming back._

"_Thank you, Mr. Berwald. It was enjoyable to work with you."_

"_The pl'asure was all m'ne. Maybe if I f'nd som'one who needs h'lp w'th ther bus'ness, I'll rec'mmend y' ta them."_

"_Thank you, Mr. Berwald, but there's no need, I've already found a new place. And they're looking for a long-time employment. I'll be all right on my own."_

_And with those words he was gone._

/ / / / / / (Tino) / / / / / /

"B'sically I must s'y he was a m'stery..."

"Haha. Maybe he stops being a mystery if we get to know him better. I have a feeling that after this it's going to be unavoidable." I laughed slightly.

"Hmm." Berwald said and I knew to make that out as a yes. "Also, I n'ticed he had an acc'nt."

"Oh? Strange, I haven't noticed one on Audun, though his name certainly isn't English. Where's Joa from?"

"Joa's fr'm N'rway." I stared at him disbelievingly. Norwegian. So, where was Audun from? And why didn't he have an accent?

"Unh..." Audun suddenly stirred and opened his eyes. "W-where am I? What happened? Where's Joa? ...Tino?" His eyes wandered around the waiting room and then the tears surged in his eyes again as he seemed to recall the events of the previous night (the clock was already about 3 a.m.).

"J-Joa..."

/ / / / / / ((finally) Audun) / / / / / /

A bit after I had woken up the doctor finally came to tell us what was wrong with Joa. He was a tall man with pale blond hair and lilac eyes much like Tino's and a little smile on his lips. He introduced himself as...

"Hello, I'm Dr. Braginski, Mr. Johansen's personal doctor on his stay here."

"Ivan..." Tino muttered and his eyes grew cold. Berwald also stiffened.

"Hello to you too Tino." Dr. Braginski smiled innocently.

_'They know each other...?'_

Trivial. This was about Joa's well-being. "Can you tell us what is wrong with my big brother?"

"You're are his brother? What about others?" Dr. Braginski asked, still smiling slightly. It was starting to creep me out.

"We're their friends." Tino answered curtly.

"Can you please tell us?" I begged and Mathias agreed.

Dr. Braginski leafed through his papers for a moment. "Yes, we ran some tests on him... And now the results say..." He turned one more page and then turned to look at us with a serious expression. "Mr. Johansen has tuberculosis. The collapse was caused by a sepsis."

The adults (well, mostly Tino) gasped. It seemed tuberculosis was something pretty serious. Was Joa going to... d-die?

"C-can we see him?" I asked.

"I'm afraid not. Tuberculosis is highly contagious and he's also very weak. If he gets any infection from the outside it can kill him. We have to put him in quarantine."

_'N-no...!' _I could feel tears well up again.

"Did anyone of you live with him?" Dr. Braginski continued.

"I did," I answered.

"Da, then we need to examine you too. Like I said tuberculosis is highly contagious and therefore you might have been infected as well while being in contact with him. We have to examine you. Just in case." And with that he grasped my arm and started to drag me away. I tried to wriggle free but his grasp was like iron. "N-no! I don't wanna!" "What is it, little one? Are you afraid of needles?" I didn't want be left alone with this man! He was scary! I sent a panicked look at Tino.

"Wait a bit, I'm coming with you," he called after us and I sighed with relief.

Dr. Braginski took us in a separate examination room and started to prepare tests, he made one quick call and soon I could hear a weird sound coming closer.

"Ah, Katyuska is coming." Dr. Braginski said.

_'Who?'_

A woman dressed in nurse outfit came into the room. I soon figured the weird sound had come from her large, uh, chest.

"You asked for these, Vanya." She said and handed Dr. Braginski a tray with medical supplies on it which names I didn't know (and didn't want to know, there was needles!).

"Thank you, sestra."

The nurse smiled and left the room. Dr. Braginski took a big needle from the tray and filled it with some strange liquid. The look in his eyes seemed to grew almost insane. My eyes widened and my hands fisted on their own. _'I'm gonna die...!'_

Tino noticed my anxiety and took a hold of my arm. "Don't worry, Audun, I don't let him do anything bad to you!"

Dr. Braginski took a piece of cotton wool and pricked the needle in it. He wasn't going to prick me?

He then looked at me and smiled (creepily).

"Don't worry, little one, this is just disinfectant."

With that he took my hand (that Tino wasn't grasping) and moved my sleeve up. He wiped the inside of my elbow with the disinfected cotton wool and then took out another needle.

"Now we're going to draw some blood~!"

/ / / / / / (Mathias) / / / / / /

45 minutes later Tino came back with a very pale looking Audun who was holding his arm.

"Wh't happen'd?" Berwald asked.

Tino threw a glare to where they were coming from. "Ivan crept him out for good. And then took a blood test and ran other tests as well. It seems Audun's not a big fan of needles."

"Are ya all right, kiddo?" I asked.

"I... I'll live."

I patted his back. "That's the spirit!"

After that we waited for Audun's test results. Audun fell asleep with his head in Tino's lap and Tino slept leaning his head to Berwald's shoulder. Even Berwald dozed off.

Only I stayed awake. Thinking about him.

/ / / / / / (Audun) / / / / / /

I jolted awake when I felt Mathias shook my shoulder. The others were already awake. I gave Tino a questioning look. _'What was going on?'_

"Dr. Braginski is here. The test results came."

I turned around and sure enough the pale-haired doctor was standing there, smiling. He had a pile of papers in his hands.

"Good morning, little one." I checked the clock: almost six in the morning.

"Did you sleep well?" Dr. Braginski continued.

Tino lost his nerves. "Ivan. The results."

"Fine, fine... I was just trying to be polite... You ruin all my fun..." Dr. Braginski muttered and then cleared his throat. "The test results came out negative. Audun Johansen doesn't have tuberculosis."

We all sighed in relief. I didn't want to get sick like Joa. Dr. Braginski had told me about tuberculosis while making tests and it sounded like an horrible sickness. He had also asked me where Joa had possibly caught his tuberculosis. I told him it was probably when we had lived in the streets for some months a bit over six years ago.

"Any questions?" Dr. Braginski's voice popped me out of my thoughts. We shook our heads. "Then you're free to go."

We walked to the car slowly, sat in and Tino groaned. "What is it?" "I just remembered tomorrow is Saturday, I have about two to three hours to sleep before I have to open the restaurant." Tino, Berwald and Mathias spoke talked together about something else after that but I was already asleep.

Next time I woke up in unfamiliar bed room that I soon recognised as Tino's quest room with it's (near over-) use of the shades of blue and white, Tino's favourite colours. The bed I was lying on was the on the left side of the room (looking from the door) and across the room was another bed with untouched dark blue covers. I checked the clock and my stomach growled. Nearly three p.m.

I walked through Tino's apartment and down the stairs that led to the restaurant's kitchen.

"Bonjour, Audun! I heard the news of your frère, mon pauvre garçon, I was very mournful to hear about him." Francis was the first one to rush hugging me babbling on and on in rapid part-French and part-English. And... did his hands wander?

BANG! "Keep your French fingers off him, aru!" I looked at Yao who had grasped a wok. Again. "Xiang is waiting for you in the outside, you better hurry up, aru!" He continued while Francis writhed in pain on the floor.

"Um, Yao, I'm kinda hungry..."

"Sure, sure, I and this useless, filthy, revolting pervert," at this point he kicked Francis who had stopped moving earning a yelp, "are going to make you something to eat." And with that I was shooed off.

Once out of the kitchen door I noticed Xiang talking with Tino, Arthur and Peter. I started to walk towards them. Peter noticed my approaching halfway and called out my name drawing everyone's attention to me.

"Huomenta, Audun!" Tino exclaimed.

"Morning, Tino."

"Hi, Audun. Took you long enough to drag yourself out of bed." Xiang said.

"Shut up, Xiang, I went to sleep at six a.m."

We talked and wathed Yong Soo go hyper on customers and then get chased around by Lien and her paddle. Mathias also sat down with us, coming back from his bakery. After a while Feliano brought us soup and wheat bread. It seemed like Francis had cooked this time.

"Oh, Audun ve~ Tino told to Toris who told to Lien who told to Yao who told to that guy who's name I can't remember who told to Francis-nii-chan who told told to me about your fratello. Mi dispiace, I'm sorry to hear about him."

"Ah... Thank you." What had he just said...?

"Oh, Audun," I turned to Tino, "before I forget, they called from the hospital earlier. Joa's no longer in critical condition and he's regained consciousness. The first thing he asked was you. We agreed that you could live with us and after Joa is released from the hospital, he can live with us too! The quest bed room's been empty ever since Toris moved in together with Feliks!"

I smiled. That sounded good. "Did you speak with Joa?"

"Ah...no. Ivan transmitted the message to him."

"What exactly happened yesterday?" Xiang asked.

"Audun came here after concert crying that he couldn't wake him up. We took his brother to the hospital and it was revealed he had tuberculosis." Mathias answered in somewhat somber tone.

"I hope the lad's okay." Arthur said in between of reading his newspaper.

"Uh, Arthur, you can't really call Joa 'a lad'. He's an adult. Looked about our age. How old is he, Audun?"

"Twenty-two."

"There you see, same age as we are!" Tino continued to Arthur.

"Hey, hey!" Peter interrupted. "What does Audun's brother look like? Does he have white hair and creepy coloured eyes too?"

"No. Joa has blond hair and blue eyes. He likes to keep his hair like this with a cross hair pin." I parted my bangs to show Joa's hair style to Peter and Xiang.

Arthur, who up to now hadn't paid much attention to the conversation, eyes widened.

"Joa, you say? Joakim Johansen?"

**_

* * *

_**

Su-chan: I... *pant* I... think I *wheeze* escaped him!  
Denmark: Well done! Here, take some water. *hands a water bottle*  
Su-chan: H-how come *pant* you're so *pant* kind to me, Denmark?  
Denmark: *laugh* I've been on the same situation countless of times!  
Su-chan: O-okay. Also, *wheeze* N-Norge hasn't put anything in this? *fearfully looks at Norway who's still surrounded by dark aura*  
Denmark: Don't worry, I kept the bottle away from him...

After catching breath and tying up Norge. Just in case.

Su-chan: So, now I finally get to my AN's. First, **translations**!

sestra (Russian) - sister  
bonjour (French) - good morning  
frère (French) - brother  
mon pauvre garçon (French) - my poor boy  
huomenta (Finnish) - (good) morning  
fratello (Italian) - brother  
mi dispiace (Italian) - I'm sorry

**Random notes:**

**-**Dr. Braginski: why I chose Russia to be Joa's doctor is because I'm bored to always see him in a bad guy's role. Ivan is a good and trustworthy doctor, with his only flaws being that he likes to creep out his patients and that he likes taking blood tests _waayy_ too much!  
**-**Also, I've read my medic book (my second favourite book after dictionary, which leads to a side-note: I've had to tape the spine of my favourite dictionary twice now) and made a lot of reseach about tuberculosis and quarantine. Actually when I started this story I had no idea what was wrong with Joa, I decided it when I was writing the second chapter. I had two options: tuberculosis or leukemia. But cancer would have meant chemotherapy and Norway would have gone bald! I couldn't allow that.  
**-**Audun has never been a day in school in his life. Joa's taught him everything at home.  
**-**I'm gonna use real Finnish-Russian relations in Tino and Ivan's relationship. Hint: periods of oppression and the Winter War  
**-**Audun's voice. We already know that his (Joa's) violin is Cremona 3/4. Liechtentein told she was a soprano last chapter and Seychelles is an alto. Audun, as his voice hasn't broken yet, is a boy soprano. Later he's going to be a tenor. (Oh, and btw, Joa can sing as well, he's a baritone, but he prefers his violin.) Also, I have no idea of the song Audun sang last time, but I'd like to make a side story of Joa singing it to Audun. So, anyone care to...?

**There's a poll in my profile about what I should publish next! Go and vote!** Little summaries of the stories in option:

"Unparalleled": Artistic gymnastics-fic. Iceland as main character. AU. Present day. Adventure/Friendship. Eiríkur is a young gymnastic with a dream. Countries compete as teams. Check Chap. 4 for further information! (one chapter ready)

"I Wonder, Do You Ever Think Of Me?": (hella long name, I know) Song-fic. DenXFem!Nor. Romance. Mathias is a singer with troubles of finding his Ms. Right. One night he founds an old album and falls in his memories of his youth years love. (one chapter ready)

"Blind Love": DenNor. Romance. Takes place in the 19th century Berlin. Lukas is a blind heir who's been getting dead threats. They hire him a bodyguard, Mathias. (no chapters ready yet)

**REVIEW REPLIES:**

_**ItalianSpringWind: **_Thank you! That about cured every insecurity I have about my writing. (And nearly made me cry to Norge's great horror, he's not good tears.) And the thingy is, if I hadn't made it clear yet, I'm not a native-speaker either. I've just taken English 9 years for now at school.

**_Hermeteikn:_** Angsty in a sweet way... that's nice description. *happyhappyhappy* Personally I like my innocent little Ice as well (he does not btw). Can I ask which part gave you goosebumps? The part with Joa's POV or the part where Audun found him?

**_Rhythm15:_** Hóla! You're Spanish, right? Or at least speaking Spanish as your native. (I have a habit of checking everyone's nationality from their profiles and then keep track on where my readers come from.) I've taken Spanish two years now. ...I-I'm the starter of your hobby? *attempts to hide under desk* (I get these shyness attacks) That's... that's... unbelievable, herranjumala. And no, your reviews do not suck and I had no trouble understanding you. :)

**_():_** Yeah, things are starting to look up. For both of them. Thank you for reviewing! :)

**_PuffinCup: _**Hóla! Yo... *goes to check Spanish books while muttering Finnish expletives under breath* Estoy muy alegre! I really feel stupid for forgetting that easy thing... Gilbert? He was supposed to make an appearance in the 5th chapter but I, uh, kinda forgot him. Though I now think it was good that way as Elizaveta and him would have just started to fight. He's going to make an apperance in the 8th chapter... I already feel sorry for Audun... And if you like Finnish you're probably going to like next chapter, there's going to be a song I translated.

**_AlmostAsAwesomeAsPrussia: _**Oh my... An obsessive reader... All right, I admit, I would have killed the author too after that kind of cliffy. Hope you liked the chapter (and hope you don't want to kill me anymore even though there was another cliffy)!

**_lothinielflowermaiden:_** OMG it's you! My newest idol! *attempts to hide under desk again* I'm glad you like the story! And my attempt is to show all the characters some way or another. Because? I don't hate anyone of them so much I would want to live them out. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

**_Canadians Princess: _**Thank you! :D

**_Norwegian boredom:_** Uwah! Another of my idols! *third attempt to hide under desk in vain* Check your e-mail every day...? Herranjumala... Norge wouldn't be happy with that wish, btw. *checks Norge who glares back* Uwah! He's gonna sulk me for weeks after this... But, I'm glad to accomplish your wish. And Joa's still going to get infections after this. And I'm so glad we tied Norge's hand too 'cause I would be so getting a book to my head about now...

Thank you for you all! Please review!  
Denmark: Let her be happy!


	7. Jeg faller

Su-chan: *reads reviews with a little smile on her lips* Hey, Norge?  
Norway: Hva?  
Su-chan: I think I've won our argument.  
Norway: Which one?  
Su-chan: The one about DenNor in "MoJ". Come look.  
Norway: *peeks over Su-chan's shoulder to the PC's screen* ... *narrows eyes*  
Su-chan: What are you going to say?  
Norway: ... *sigh* Do what you want. *starts to walk away* But remember our compromise. Or else...  
Su-chan: Or else... *shudders* Okay!

(Ever since "MoJ" was first published Norway and I have fought about the same thing over and over again: should DenNor in MoJ be romance or friendship. As you probably guessed I want romance but Norway wants that he and Denmark are just friends. Now it seems I've finally won that argument, thanks to you. But I still have to do our compromise. Or else...)

* * *

Su-chan: Hello again readers! I've had horrible time trying to hide this chapter from you (I got this written the weekend after posting "Sóttkví") but I thought I'd give you 10 days to read the previous chapter before posting this. I was climbing on the walls on day 4. As you can see I failed, as it's only been a week. (Though I don't think you mind.) Also, the Hits went over 1,000 last month! Now, lets see if we can get them to 5,000 before my 18th birthday, ne? ;) And also this time, first time in MoJ's history, I've got all the Nordics here with me!  
Denmark: Breaking news! Su-chan and Ice are starting to get along! I heard them laughing together just the other night! So, Ice, do I smell a romance? *waggles eyebrows suggestively*  
Iceland: No. I was trying to teach her Icelandic.  
Finland: Oh? How did that go?  
Norway: Poorly on Su-chan's part but at least Ice and I had fun.  
Iceland: *laugh* She can't pronounce "Svíþjóð" for her life!  
Su-chan: Stop mocking me, Ice! It's a hard word! So, who's going to do the disclaimer?  
*silence*  
Su-chan: Finland, Norway and Denmark have already done it. Ice?  
Iceland: _No way._  
Su-chan: So Ice is refusing again. That leaves us... Sweden?  
Sweden: 's all r'ght. I can d' it.  
Norway: He's accent's gonna give us a problem...  
Finland: I know how to avoid it! Su-san has to do the disclaimer in Swedish!  
Su-chan: I guess that's all right. Everyone knows what the disclaimer is saying anyway. So, Ruotsi, the estrade is yours.  
Sweden: LiteSnöIMussla ägar inte Axis Powers Hetalia. Den här serien tillhör Himaruya Hidekaz.  
Denmark: Well done, old chum! *pats back* No accents at all!  
Sweden: Tha' was m' 'wn lang'age, idiot.  
Denmark: *doesn't listen* The chapter this time is all Norge's POV! HEJA NORGE! And I'm there too! Whoo!  
Norway: Quit screaming in my ear! And it's "Heia Norge", you idiot! *hits Denmark*  
Denmark: Av! Stop det!  
Su-chan: At least he's not hitting me anymore... And Sweden just had to translate my pen name too... Enjoy the chapter~!

* * *

"**Mats ****og ****Joa"**

**Chapter 7: I fall**

"_Come here, Joa! Let's play!"_

"_Joa! Are ya all right? ! Ya didn't hurt yerself?"_

"_I like yer hair!"_

"_Bye, Joa! See ya!"_

_**Goodbye...**_

"_Joa!"_

I jolted awake in a dim-lit room and soon came aware of the rapid beeping on my left. I turned my head towards it and found myself sore all over. The beeping came from a heart monitor. The sheets I was lying on were white and crisp and I also had a breathing mask over my mouth and nose. In short, I had woken up in a hospital.

I turned my head again so I was staring the ceiling. What was that dream? I hadn't dreamed about him for a long time. I had tried to forget him. So what had triggered the memories now?

_The moon illuminates the darkness, _

_creates shadows in the room._

_I can't sleep, I just keep thinking about you._

_Longing, so painful, I carry inside of me._

_I lost you, I sank into the night._

_A longing man can only be_

_comforted by memories._

_Mats._ He had betrayed me.

And still... I found myself missing him. _Crying _after him in the dead of the night.

_I fall into the most beautiful dreams,_

_the moments of the past_

_when I got to be with you._

_Again I disappear_

_into the nightly scenarios,_

_the days of the past,_

_the shared dreams. I fall._

Sudden noise at the door startled me out of my thoughts. The door on my right opened and someone put the lights on, blinding me momentarily. When I opened my eyes I saw a tall man dressed in doctor's white coat and a mask covering the lower half of his face.

"Ah, you're finally awake, Mr. Johansen." I could hear the smile in his voice. "I'm Dr. Braginski, your personal doctor on your stay here."

"Wha..." I started, removing the mask from my face and instantly falling into a coughing fit.

"Easy, easy, Mr. Johansen." He helped me to sit up a bit. "Do you want some water?" He continued and I nodded. My throat felt like it was on fire. Dr. Braginski poured me a glass of water from a pitcher on the side table and helped me to drink. When I finally felt I could speak I motioned him to stop.

"What... what is wrong with me, doctor? How... Who brought me to the hospital? I remember... losing my consciousness at home..." I startled a bit when I heard my voice. It was so weak, barely above a whisper.

"You have tuberculosis. The collapse was caused by a sepsis." Tuberculosis? Sepsis? I had really made it now, hadn't I? "Audun Johansen and some of his friends were the ones that brought you here." Dr. Braginski continued. My eyes widened. Audun! How hadn't he crossed my mind earlier? ! What was going to happen to him now? What was he going to do? ! He couldn't work legally nor could he beg all the money needed to pay the rent of our apartment! That boy was like a brother to me, if something happened to him I...!

"A-Audun...!" I yelled in somewhat broken voice and tried to sit up only to be pushed down again.

"No, no. Mr. Johansen is in no condition to start storming around now. You need to rest." And with that Dr. Braginski snapped the breathing mask back to place. I quickly removed it again.

"A-Audun! I need to know that he's all right!"

A look of understanding crossed in the doctor's eyes. "If you're worried about the little one I can make a call and check on him. I believe Tino took him home with him."

"Yes, please. Thank you..." I relaxed against my pillows and moved the mask back to place. The little panic attack had really tired me out and I was starting to have trouble on keeping my eyes open.

"That's right, Mr. Johansen. Sleep. I'll come back soon."

I brushed my hand through my hair and noted that someone had already removed the hair clip. When I craned my neck a bit I could see it was placed next to the pitcher on the side table. My eyes closed on their own and I fell into the comforting darkness.

_Night darkens, a shade covers the moon._

_In my mind I see your outlines_

_drawn into the darkness._

_Smiling, caressing, you would be in my lap._

_I lost you, I sank into the night._

_A longing man can only be_

_comforted by memories._

A boy of about ten years with spiky blond hair and gleaming blue eyes ran towards his friend who was sitting on a beach and throwing rocks to the water. _Plop. Plop._

"Joa! Found ya!" The boy plopped down next to his friend. The boy called Joa turned his dark blue eyes to his friend. "Hei, Mats," he said and went back on throwing the rocks. _Plop. Plop._

Mats, slightly annoyed and upset that his friend was ignoring him, set his head in Joa's lap.

"Joaa~!" He then whined, trying to get his friend's attention. "Joaa~" Joa's eyebrows got an annoyed curve. "...What is it, Mats?" He finally asked and stopped throwing the rocks.

"Ya haven't been yerself since yer father died, Joa! Ya keep disappearing like this... Yer mom's getting worried!"

Joa faced away from Mats. "...It's none of your business."

"Is too! Yer my friend! My bestest friend!"

"'Bestest' is not a word, you know."

"Is too!"

"Is not. And back-talking like that is annoying."

"Yer doing it too!"

"Shut up."

For once, Mats actually listened. Joa would have went back on throwing the rocks but he realised he had already threw all the rocks nearby. After a while Mats spoke again. "Joa?" He asked. "I think I told you to shut up." Joa responded. "But Joa!" "All right, what is it, Mats?"

"Joa... Ya know yer my best friend but... Am I yer best friend too?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Joa!" Mats sounded upset.

"Okay, okay! You are!"

Mats smiled (grinned) and suddenly extended his hand and brushed it through Joa's bangs (the part that wasn't being held back with the hair clip). "Hey!" Joa objected but didn't slap Mats' hand away.

"I like ya, Joa!" Mats confessed. "And ya know what part of ya I like the best?" Joa made a noncommittal sound. "I like yer hair!" Joa was silent for a long time before he answered: "That's stupid." But Mats attention was already elsewhere (he had an extremely short attention span).

"Look! Look, Joa! It's the sunset!"

"Hmh. We should probably go home." Joa got up and lifted his backpack on his shoulder. "What time is it?"

"It's fifteen minutes over 11 a.m."

I opened my eyes. I was in the hospital room. It had been just another dream. Dr. Braginski was sitting next to my bed reading a book. "Welcome back, Sleeping Beauty. I made that call you asked. Audun Johansen is staying at his friend Tino Väinämöinen's house and you're welcome to stay there too after you're released here." Dr. Braginski started towards the door leaving his book to the side table next to the hair clip and the pitcher.

"Excuse me," I called after him, removing the breathing mask, "how long was I asleep?"

Dr. Braginski turned to look back at me. "About two or three hours. I waited the whole time to tell you the news of Audun Johansen. Also, keep the book, you're not going to be released from this quarantine room any time soon. And remember to rest, Mr. Johansen." And with that the door closed behind him. I plopped down to my pillows.

_I fall into the most beautiful dreams,_

_the moments of the past_

_when I got to be with you._

_Again I disappear_

_into the nightly scenarios,_

_the days of the past,_

_the shared dreams. I fall._

I sighed. I was really pathetic right now, wasn't I? All my life I had tried to be strong, get along on my own. Not trusting anyone but myself. ...Well I had trusted Mats but... And now, here I was, in a hospital, with tuberculosis and blood poisoning that had damn near killed me. Another sigh and the tears started to burn my eyes again. Maybe Audun too would be better off without me. The first tears slid down my cheeks. What was I going to do? I had failed Audun. I had failed myself.

_I fall into the most beautiful dreams,_

_the moments of the past,_

_when I got to be with you._

_Again I disappear_

_into the nightly scenarios,_

_the days of the past,_

_the shared dreams. _I fall.

"I fall..." I whispered to myself before falling asleep again.

_I fall, jeg faller. But who's going to catch me? This time..._

* * *

Su-chan: _Bye, bye, Hollywood hills/ I'm gonna miss you wherever I go/ I'm gonna come back to walk these streets again/ Bye, bye, Hollywood hills forever...! _Sorry, that song started to play in my head when I wrote the "Goodbye" part in the start of this chapter. If anyone cares it's called Hollywood Hills by a Finnish band called Sunrise Avenue. The song in this chapter is called **Mä putoan by Yölintu**. I translated it with my friend's help.

**Translations:** none

**Random notes: **  
(there's also some I've forgotten to mention in previous chapters)

**-**First, Joa said **3** funny things in this chapter. I wonder how many of you notice them all. Audun's going to explain one of them in next chapter, but two others are gonna stay hidden for a while longer.  
**-**Last chapter I forgot to mention, I don't really use that much of Google Translator, as my friends are my translators. So thank yous to E-chan for French, K-san for Italian and I-kun for Russian. And no, don't misunderstand, all my friends are Finns. In Finland we just take a lot of foreign languages. :)  
**-**Also, I'm wondering, how did this chapter turn into RussNor? Is Mats going to have a rival? At first Joa was supposed to be suspicious of his doctor, but now they became friends!  
**-**On a fun note, I can't pronounce "Mats" as it's suppose to be pronounced without having a laughing fit. Joa is pronounced just as "Yo-ah" as you've probably figured out but the a in Mats is supposed to make an ä/æ sound. So Mats is actually Mäts. But in Finnish "mäts" is an onomatopoetic sound you get when you... *starts laughing* hit someone with a fist! This is why I pronounce Mats with an ordinary a.

And now, my favourite part. **Review replies!**

_**Pippuri-chan: **_Yay! A fellow Finn! I could put my answer in Finnish. ... Unfortunately my brain's refusing to switch language right now. Thank you! Also, I should have listed giving weird nicknames to patients in Ivan's flaws (even though I'm not sure if you consider that a flaw) as well. I have a feeling that "little one" and "Sleeping Beauty" (Don't hit me with that book, Norja!) are going to stick. Arg! The characters are twisting the plot to their own liking again!

**_Norwegian boredom: _**It's because of "Control"... I read that, just never worked up enough courage to review. Great story (I love psychological stories)! You should update it! Thank you, I was a bit unsure how the story would work with so many POV's. It's also pretty amazing if some typo manages to escape my spell checks (I like to go Grammar Nazi on myself and go perfectionist in weird things). When I write at school, I always carry a pocket dictionary with me in my backpack and someone of my friends is going to beta-read every page (usually it's I-kun). When I type I use British spell check and read the text over at least twice or thrice to check my grammar before publishing the chapter here. Usually only typos are in AN's because for those I don't use so much dictionary and don't read them over again. Oh, and then there's one last thing. After I've published new chapter I go check how it looks on the screen and kick myself to head if some typo has escaped me. And I wouldn't mind you coming in Finland!

**_Rhythm15: _**Audun's probably tired and because of that not being too reasonable. Later he's most likely going to clung into Joa or attempt hiding behind him if Ivan comes too close. *thinks for a moment* Yeah, that's a good idea! I'll put it in 9th! (Iceland: You do not!) Oh, that reminds me of the other issue. Why does Iceland hate me? Ah, there's many reasons, first one probably being that I got on his nerves in "Ask the Nordics", he's a bit too fun to tease for his own good. Second, we're the same age and very similar personality wise (temper, mostly, Norway says that if we get on a serious fight someday it could be considered WW3) so we don't really get along on a normal day either (some wise guy said that if two persons are too similar they're either going to be best friends or worst rivals). This goes to Norway as well, we have small bickers daily. Third and most important reason is Audun. Ice doesn't like how I portray him. He doesn't understand that a 13-year-old and a 17-year-old are mentally different. Last time he tried to kill me because Audun cried in the chapter a lot. And you don't know how fast you can ran until someone's chasing you around with a volcano!

**_PuffinCup: _**That's correct. Though I could start nagging at you for being too polite with me. Next time you can use "Terve!" (e makes an 'eh' sound, remember to roll the r... wait a sec, you speak Spanish so you'll do that automatically) or "Moi!" (do I really need to tell how that's pronounced?) You make a lot of good questions, which are going to be answered later. Kill Joa? No! *hugs Norway* (Norway: You're crushing my ribs...) This story is supposed to have a happy ending! ...After many many crazy and serious twists. Oh yeah, DenNor, here we come! (Norway: *pouty aura*)

**_lothinielflowermaiden: _**First, it was you who helped me (The Long Road Chap. 3 AN). Second, after "Family Secrets" and "The Long Road", are you kidding me? Nine years of mandatory English at school (which I love though and I still have one year left), lots of spell checks and dictionaries, that's my secret. I'm attempting to get a 10 in English, it's not before that that I believe in my linguistic skills (though you reviewers are making pretty good job). I wish to work with English in future as well, maybe becoming a translator. The occasional skipped word I blame for my ADD and too slow fingers... though I've noticed recently that I type faster in English than in Finnish even though making more typos too in progress. So this chapter explains Mats, Arthur's turn is next time. Also note that Arthur didn't recognise Joa before Audun described his hair style, which tells that his not familiar with Joa's nickname. I hope you enjoyed this chapter too.

**_Hermeteikn: _**Thank you, I was a bit worried how the story would flow with so many POV's. The thingy is also that I had been planning that cliffy ever since I first started planning MoJ in my head. Blood cough was a must as I've always found it... what the word was again? Intriguing? *checks from dictionary* Yeah, that's it. (Is there something from with my head? xD) Dunno what that feeling was but I think... I got a similar feeling when I was writing the chapter... O.o

**_atramentaceous: _**Glad you like it but watch out or you're going to be Norway's next victim. He's not too happy about people pairing him up with Denmark. Poor Norway's still in denial... HUAH! *dodges a book* Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

One more side note. As I'm a language-freak, I saw a Finnish-Norwegian-Finnish dictionary a while ago. I WANNAAA! I've went many times to the book store just to read it a bit. Unfortunately the dictionary costs 16,95 euros (don't ask how I remember the exact prise) and I currently have... *takes out wallet and calculates the money inside* 16,55 euros. Darn, I thought I had more! Anyway, I'm currently broke. *mutters to herself* Once I get some money that dictionary is so going to be mine...

Another side note. (I swear this is the last one!) I have my exam week now and I have a feeling I'm gonna fail my Swedish epically. Because of Hetalia. Why do they have to put people from different Nordic coutries reading the text on listening comprehension exercises? I just start to listen to their lovely accents (Norwegian is my favourite) and the thing _what_ they are saying goes in my one ear and out the other. xD And then I start laughing when there's a Danish girl reading the text... I like to think their the Hetalia characters reading it. xD The Danish girl just ruins it all as I can't imagine a gender-bent Denmark... and somehow the Danish is always a girl!

Anyway, next chapter comes later this month. **Review! And remember the poll, there's only been three people who have voted!** I'm gonna take it off when I publish 8th chapter!

And now Su-chan's off to type some new material~!


	8. Eðlilegt?

Su-chan: God dag! Hyggelig å treffes! Hvordan står det til? (= Good day! Nice to meet you! How are you?)  
Norway: Annoying...  
Su-chan: Velkommen! Vær så god! Takk! Unnskyld! På gjensyn! (= Welcome! Please/You are welcome! Thank you! Pardon! Bye-bye!)  
Norway: As you can see (or in my case, hear) she got that dictionary... Now, all she does is bomb me with badly pronounced questions in Norwegian...  
Su-chan: *flips through dictionary* Oh, this is a funny one... sprø!  
Norway: ...Remember the pronounciation.  
Su-chan: Ah, sorry! *flips through dictionary again* Tomsing... Do you use that for Denmark?  
Norway: Hm? Sometimes... I prefer calling him dumme or idiot.  
Su-chan: Aha. Oh, djevelen!  
Norway: *flinch* Don't teach youself profanities!  
Su-chan: Sorry, caught my eye!  
Norway: *looks exasperated*  
Su-chan: Oh, my favourite food! Sjokolade! (= Chocolate!)  
Norway: *tries to concentrate in a book*  
Su-chan: Frankrike! (= France!)  
Norway: *looks up alarmedly* Hvor? ! (= Where? !)  
Su-chan: *laughs* Unnskyld, Norge! I couldn't resist!  
Norway: *sends heaven a "why me?"-look*  
Su-chan: *starts to flip through dictionary again* Tjukkskalla! (= Stubborn!)  
Iceland: *sulking in a corner*

(I GOT THAT DICTIONARY! I found it from another place where I had to pay only 10 Euros! *happyhappyhappy* I must say, I've already gotten a pretty good grasp of the language (it's very close to Swedish, which I have taken for 5 years already) after learning the language for what? Two weeks maybe. At the most. Norge's always complaining about my pronounciation but I don't think he minds as much as he lets on because he still bothers to correct me every time. I've also practised my Norwegian at school by asking my friends simple questions like "Did you sleep well?" or "Have you seen (insert name here) today?". They understood pretty good (at least when I repeated the question a bit slower) although they answered in wrong language. Also, I could have swore I saw Norway pumping his fist into the air when I greeted my friends with "Morn!" instead of usual "Moi!". But we all know he doesn't do things like that. It might have been just a hallucination. My friends didn't notice the difference in my greeting, btw. Also, "tjukkskalla" is my favourite word in Norwegian. I highlighted it in my dictionary.)

* * *

Norway: *packing his things*  
Iceland: Where are you going?  
Norway: I have a meeting with my boss. I have to leave you with Su-chan.  
Su-chan: What! I don't want to be left alone with Ice! He's gonna try to strangle me with my bow again!  
Iceland: I wouldn't do that if you didn't annoy me all the time!  
Su-chan: I haven't annoyed you! You just blow your top too easily!  
Norway: Believe me, I don't like this either. *sigh* Danmark's going to come to watch you. I want to see both of you in one piece when I come back. Understood?  
Su-chan and Iceland: Yes, it is...  
Norway: Good. I'll be going now. Oh, and I'll take this with me. *takes Su-chan's Finnish-Norwegian-Finnish-dictionary* Play nice, bye!  
Su-chan: Hey! Ask permission first! *turns to Iceland* I'm highly suspecting he's trying to learn Finnish. That was the 26th time this week.  
Iceland: You counted...? Can a Norwegian reader even read it?  
Su-chan: Yes and yes. It's a two-way dictionary. Both Finnish and Norwegian readers can use it. It would be fun to hear Norway trying to pronounce Finnish though.  
Iceland: *chuckles a bit* Certainly. Finnish is pretty hard to pronounce. But, you had AN's to do, right?  
Su-chan: OH! I almost forgot! *thinks for a moment* I guess you don't want to make the disclaimer?  
Iceland: That's right.  
Su-chan: Who the hemmetissä am I going to get to make it then...?  
*firecracker comes whistling from somewhere and hits the ground only half a metre from Su-chan*  
Su-chan and Iceland: *startle*  
Su-chan: T-that nearly hit me...!  
Hong Kong: Sorry... It went a bit astray...  
Iceland: Your firecracker went _half the world_ astray?  
Hong Kong: Oh, hello Iceland. I already said sorry.  
Su-chan: H-hong Kong... since you're here now, could you do me a favour? I promise to not tell China about you playing with firecrackers if you do it.  
Hong Kong: Okay. What do I need to do?  
Su-chan: The disclaimer. *scribbles something into a piece of paper* Here.  
Hong Kong: *reads from paper* SomeSnowInShell doesn't own Axis Powers Hetalia. It belongs to Himaruya Hidekaz. ...If she owned it Iceland would be a girl.  
Iceland: *dark aura*  
Su-chan: Hong! You put in that last part yourself! Ice, believe me, I didn't write it there!  
Iceland: I know. Just let me beat some sense into him.  
Hong Kong: I think I have to go now, maybe some other time. *flees quickly*  
Iceland: Grr...  
Su-chan: Take it easy, Ice... *pats back gingerly*  
Denmark: What do my old eyes see...! They're getting along! Norge was just worrying over nothing again... *turns to readers* Okay! Since Su-chan seems to be busy at the moment I'll tell you the things she was supposed to say. She wants to yet again thank you all for the reviews, alerts and favorites and overall support for this fic. She said she _elsker jer alle_! She was happy too to find out she had gotten Danish readers. Hello, my people! Also, the catchwords last time were "betrayal", "like a brother" and "who's going to catch me?". She was glad to see so many had found at least one of them. And now...

Enjoy~!

* * *

"**Mats og Joa"**

**Chapter 8: Normalcy?**

I lied in "my bed" at Tino's quest room ("my room", I correct myself), breathing in the unfamiliar scent from the pillow. It was my third night at Tino's. Huddled tightly in the blankets I let out the first sob. Then another. And another. So much had happened in the last few days and it was all starting to become too much for me.

Joa was taken to hospital because he had gotten too sick, we didn't have our apartment any more and I was now living with Tino and his friends (who were practically strangers to me). Tomorrow would be my first day at school in the E-Academy.

On Saturday, after I had eaten, Tino, Mathias and I had went to our apartment to get mine and Joa's stuff so I could move to Tino's. The landlady had been there waiting for us.

"_You!" She screeched the moment she saw me. "Where on earth have you been! And where is that good-for-nothing brother of yours? The rent is two weeks late again and when I came to collect it last night or at least demand a good reason for the lateness, no-one answered the door even though I saw the lights were on! Doesn't he understand that I too need money for living!" I could feel the tears trying to surface again._

"_Ma'am. Please don't yell at him. His brother got badly sick yesterday and we had to take him to the hospital." Tino interrupted. "I can pay the rent and after that Audun and his brother are going to move in with me."_

"_Oh." The woman's face strained. "I'm... sorry to hear about Mr. Johansen. You," she motioned to me. "Go get your sentimental stuff with the big fellow. I and this gentleman," she motioned to Tino, "are going to discuss your rent."_

_There wasn't much "sentimental stuff" in our apartment. Our most valuable possession was Joa's violin, which was at Tino's. I just took our clothes and essentials and Joa's cell phone, some small stuff like the little amount of books we owned and some sheets of music that were either Joa's composition project or some piece he had given to me to study, and packed all in the two bags Mathias had brought._

"_Is there anything more ya wanna take with ya?" Mathias asked._

_I hesitated for a moment before I went to the drawer in the far end corner and opened it. I took out Mr. Puffin, my stuffed puffin toy, the only thing I had left from my parents. After that I left the house keys to the landlady and we walked out of the apartment house for good._

On Sunday I had went with Tino and Xiang to tailor to get myself a school uniform. E-Academy was very sophisticated private school and the uniform code was pretty strict there. Like Xiang, I got the red plaided trousers, dress shirt and the black sweater but unlike him, I decided to wear the white bow Joa had already gotten for me (that was the only option we had for the school uniform, you were either to wear a red tie or a white bow and if you didn't wear it you could get detention, Xiang told). For summer uniform, I got a short-sleeved dress shirt and a slip-over. We also got all the books I would need and a messenger bag for them. Tino bought me own cell phone too.

And then there was Joa. It was obvious he had hidden things from me. Arthur had proved it to me.

"_Joa, you say? Joakim Johansen?"_

_We all just stared at Arthur for a long time time before Mathias got his mouth open._

"_How... Where do you know him?"_

_Arthur's eyes got a bit sad look. "We went in the same high school. We were friends. Here, I'll show you a photo." Arthur pulled an old photo from his wallet and gave it to me. It was a picture of two blond-haired boys at the age of 15 or 16. From his eyebrows I immediately recognised the younger Arthur and the blue-eyed boy next to him was undoubtedly Joa with his hair clip. But something in the picture was off. "I-is that... a bruise?" I pointed picture-Joa's left lower cheek._

_Xiang peeked the photo over my shoulder. "I think it is. But where would he have gotten that?"_

_Arthur was silent for a long while before he spoke. "...I asked about those too. Many times. Joakim always just told me he had been clumsy and tripped over something or fallen with his bike or something like that. He said... it was nothing to worry about."_

_That's what he always says! "What happened then?" Tino asked. "You've never told me any of this."_

"_He disappeared. A year before graduation. He said I probably wouldn't see him again. I haven't. But I've been looking for him all these years."_

It was only now that I understood how little I really knew about the man I called my brother.

* * (Tino) * *

I closed the bathroom door behind me and started to walk towards the bedroom I shared with Berwald. I passed Audun's door when heard a strange noise. It sounded like someone was crying. I knocked the door.

"Audun? Are you all right?"

"...y-yeah." His trembling voice answered.

"You don't sound all right. Can I come in?" When I got no answer I opened the door and walked next to the bed Audun slept in. I touched the blanket cocoon and it flinched.

"Audun, I know you're there. What's wrong?"

"Nothing." The cocoon answered with a sob.

"Audun, you're voice betrays you. Now tell me, what is wrong?" I was being serious now. When Joa was at hospital, Audun's well-being was my responsibility.

"Nothing! Leave me alone!" The cocoon answered, now sounding a bit angry.

I sat on the bed next to him. "You're not fooling me, Audun. Now please, look at me and tell me what's wrong. I won't leave until you do." When the cocoon didn't answer I continued. "And you're going to get hot if you stay like that under the covers."

A silence (only broken by occasional sob from the blanket cocoon) followed. After nearly ten minutes Audun seemed to get too hot in his cocoon and I could see a glimpse of white hair as he let a little cool air under the blanket and peeked out to check if I was still there. He narrowed his eyes when he noticed me and hid again under the covers. His hair looked slightly damp and stuck to his forehead, his cheeks were flushed and covered in tear trails.

"Audun, please."

Suddenly Audun flung the covers away and sat up in his bed with his eyes burning with anger. "Seriously! What is your problem! Why can't you just leave. Me. Alone!" At this point he burst into tears again and hid his face in his knees. "I just want to be alone...!"

I reached out and patted his shoulder a bit awkwardly at first but as Audun didn't swat my hand away I moved to rub soothing circles in his back. After few minutes he began to calm down. "Can you now tell me what's wrong?" I asked when Audun's shoulder finally stopped shaking. He didn't answer. "Are you crying because of your brother?" I asked again. This time Audun froze and looked up.

"A-actually we're not... real brothers."

… … What?

* * (Audun) * *

I could see the confusion on Tino's face as I continued to look at him. The stunned silence continued for few minutes before Tino got his voice back. "What... What do you mean... not real brothers?"

I wiped my face a bit. "I mean just that. We're not... biological brothers. Joa's not even my relative. He found me from the streets after I had ran away from the orphanage and took me with him. I was seven. We've been together ever since then."

"_**It rained that night, I remember."**_

_It had been a beautiful, sunny day in early June when I had slipped out of the orphanage after lunch. I spent the day hiding from my possible seekers. In the evening, it started to rain. It was only then that I realised the consequences of what I had done. And that was when he came. Joa._

"_**You were sitting there, alone in the shelter, and hugging that ugly puffin toy of yours against your chest."**_

"_Excuse me, is this place taken? Are you waiting for someone?" I snapped my head up to meet the gaze of the stranger in front of me. He was a blond-haired teenager who was looking me with kind blue eyes while dressed in slightly too big grey hooded jacket and blue jeans with the hood pulled over his head. He was soaked with the rain and held a violin case protectively against his chest and had a rucksack on his back._

_I thought for a moment what I should answer. He didn't look like a serial killer so... "No. I'm alone."_

_Something flashed in the other boy's eyes when he walked the few steps into my (well, now our) shelter and sat down about 2 metres (6 ft.) from me. He pulled the hood down and started to dry his hair while muttering something about terrible weather. I saw the first glimpse of his hair clip._

_We sat in silence as the rain pounded around us. After the teen had gotten his hair relatively dry he started rummaging his rucksack._

"_**I offered you some chocolate."**_

"_Do you want some chocolate?" He asked. "By the way, my name's Joakim but you can call me Joa. What's your name?"_

_I accepted the chocolate bar and nibbled it shyly. "I'm Audun. Do you play violin?"_

"_Yeah. Been playing since I was four."_

"_That's nice. I'd like to learn to play some instrument too."_

"_**I had to win your confidence somehow."**_

"_Audun, can I ask, what is a child your age doing alone in the streets?"_

"_I'm not that young, I'm seven."_

"_Too young to ran away from home. You should go back to your mom."_

"_I don't have one. I ran away from orphanage. What about you? Aren't you too young to ran away too?"_

_Emotion flashed in Joa's eyes again but it was gone before I could identify it. "I'm sixteen. Couldn't stand my parents any more."_

"_Oh."_

_We spent the rest of the night talking because it was really too cold and wet to sleep. When it started to get particularly cold Joa fished us a blanket from his rucksack and we huddled under it together and shared body heat to keep each other warm. It felt nice to lean into his chest and I felt safe in his arms. At this point both of us might have dozed off every now and then._

_When morning came Joa packed his rucksack, threw it on his back and took his violin case. "What are you going to do now?" He asked me._

"_I don't want to go back to the orphanage and I don't have any place to stay so I don't know." I answered truthfully._

"_**I asked you to come with me."**_

"_Do you want to come with me then?"_

"_Where are you going?"_

"_I have some money. I thought I could move to another city and start a new life there. You can tag along if you want to."_

_I didn't really have a choice unless I wanted to die in the streets. "Okay."_

"_Let's leave this city's dust behind us."_

"_**I just couldn't leave you there."**_

"You could say we're a bit like drifters. Joa doesn't like to stay in one place too long. The longest time we've lived in one place is 2 years. The shortest was about 10 days. We moved in this city at the beginning of the summer."

**(AN: They're living early December now. When this story started it was about half-way of November.)**

* * (Tino) * *

I stared at Audun for a long time. The only thing I had really understood from his story was the part with the orphanage. "Why did you ran away from the orphanage?"

"I wanted to find my mom. The women there always told me I was different from others. That I had a mom somewhere. She was just under-age when she had me and therefore couldn't keep me. She left me this." It was only now that I noticed Audun had clutched a puffin plush toy to his chest this whole time. "So... I wanted to find her and ask... if she wanted me now." Audun was silent for a while waiting if I had something to ask. "The other kids in the orphanage didn't really like me either. They called me a freak because of my hair colour."

"Your hair is not freak." I told him gently.

Audun stared at me. "It's white."

"White is a pretty colour."

"Not in _hair_."

"It makes you look unique."

"Gilbert has white hair too."

"But Gilbert is an albino. You're not. Look, let's stop this stupid argument. I think your hair is nice like that even though you don't."

Audun sighed. "Okay..."

Silence followed before I broke it with my question: "Do you know anything about your mom?"

Audun took a while to answer. "...She was second generation American Icelander... And she gave an Icelandic name.

Well that explained the name. "Do you know what your name means?"

A nod. "Yeah. It means 'a friend'."

Again a silence followed. "You know, after Joa gets away from hospital, we could try to find your mom." I said.

"Really? Is that even possible?" Audun's eyes lit up.

"I think it is. If we travel back to that orphanage we can ask your mom's name and then try to track her down."

"Sounds good..." Audun yawned.

"Are you tired?"

"...Yeah..."

"You should go to sleep. You need to rest for tomorrow."

Audun got under the covers. "Good night, Tino."

"Öitä!" I closed the door behind me and went to sleep myself too.

The night went without much commotion as Mathias too was unusually quiet. The morning however brought bad news.

"Audun! Are you awake? It's time to go to school! Xiang is already waiting!" I knocked the door of Audun's room. When I got no answer I went in. Audun seemed to be still sleeping so I went to shook him awake. **(AN: Is it just me getting déjà-vu here?) **"Audun? Are you still sleeping?"

He shifted a bit. "...No."

"Then why didn't you answer earlier?"

Audun took a while to answer. "I don't want to go to school. I don't feel well. My head hurts."

"...Oh. I'll go fetch you an aspirin. You don't have to go if you feel sick. I'll tell Xiang. You can sleep in."

I told Xiang about Audun's sudden sickness and he looked disheartened when he left for school alone. Even though he hadn't shown it I knew he had waited this day a lot. Everyone in the restaurant also took pity on Audun and Yao speculated that his sickness might have been caused by the emotional stress he had probably endured in the last few days.

Yong Soo talked with Feli, Toris and Lien about different ways to cheer Audun up. It was rather funny how everyone in the restaurant had taken Audun under their wing.

* * (Audun) * *

I woke up next time around 1 p.m. To the growling of my tummy. Thanks to Tino's aspirin my headache didn't feel so bad any more so I decided to get dressed and get something to eat. I chose some clothes Tino had bought to me yesterday. When I opened the door Hanatamago, that apparently had been sleeping in front of the door, attacked my feet with happy yapping. I lifted her in my arms and let her lick my face and took her with me to downstairs.

The kitchen was surprisingly empty. Weird, usually at least Matthew was there watching the pots and pans while Yao and Francis went to take their break and/or talk to their friends. Now, however, there wasn't even anything on the stove. Had Tino given everyone a day off?

"I think we should throw a party for him!"

What? There was sounds coming from the dining hall?

"Alfred-san... I don't think that's a good idea..."

"Bloody git! Joakim is in hospital and you want to celebrate it?" Arthur and Alfred were there... And Yao's cousin, Kiku...

"Agreed, ahen." And Yao himself...

"Party! Party with K-pop!" Yong Soo gushed. After that I heard a whack (as expected) and Yong Soo whined.

"Yong Soo! We already dumped that idea!" Lien shouted.

Tino's voice tried to ask everyone calm down.

"Let the awesome me do the job!"

"I could help, mon ami."

"_You_ don't touch him." Xiang? Xiang was there too! I opened the door to see everyone in the middle of the dining hall arguing about something.

"What about we take him to amusement park?" Matthew asked but no-one heard him.

"Ve! Let's call Antonio! He's good at cheering people up!"

"But isn't your brother going to come too if we do that?" Toris asked.

"Party..." Alfred still whined and Arthur elbowed his ribs.

"Ve~ I'm hungry, I'm gonna make some pasta..." Feliciano ignored Toris and turned to the kitchen, noticing me. "Audun!"

Everyone else turned to look at me too and I shifted a bit from where I was leaning on the door frame. "...Hi."

"Buongiorno!" Feliciano came to hug me.

"Um... Feli, can you make some pasta for me too? I'm kinda hungry."

"Sure thing!"

After Feliciano had gone to the kitchen humming some cheery tune, Hanatamago started to wriggle out from my arms and ran to her master waving her tail in a speed you'd think it would come off. I followed the white puppy.

"Whitey!" Gilbert was the first one to attack me, ruffling my hair (that I had just combed) and telling a story about something or another (I wasn't really listening).

"Audun? Are you alright?" Tino, Xiang and several others asked in near perfect unison.

I turned to answer Xiang. "I'm fine. Shouldn't you be at school?"

"We had an exam and after that school ended early. Mei went Elise's."

How did he know I would have asked that next? Gilbert moved from bothering me to bothering Matthew. Xiang and I petted Hana in our feet while talking about his day. Then something Tino said caught my ear.

"What about we get him a pet? Your boyfriend owned a pet shop, right Kiku?"

"Yes... I mean no! He's just a friend! We're not dating!" Kiku started to flail his hands in front of his face.

"And here I thought you were talking about engagement just the other day..." Tino teased further with devilish little smirk on his face.

"P-please! Tino-san! You're making assumptions!" At this point Kiku was blushing quite furiously and looked like he was going to have a panic attack any second now.

Tino started laughing. "Sorry, Kiku. I couldn't resist. So, Audun, would you like to have a pet?"

"C-could I have one?" Was he serious?

"Sure! You seem to like Hana so why not? Let's go!"

"Can I come with you too?" Xiang asked.

"Of course!"

. . .

The bell of the little pet shop chimed when we walked in. This also seemed to wake up the brown-haired and tanned shop owner dozing behind his desk.

"Kiku... You came to visit me...?" The owner drawled, still half-asleep.

"No, Heracles-san, I brought you customers."

"I've told you to drop the honorific, Kiku. We've been together over a year already and known each other since forever."

Kiku blushed but otherwise ignored what the man called Heracles had said. Tino took his turn to greet Heracles. Does he know _everyone_ in the town?

"He pretty much does." Curse my mind reader best friend.

"Heracles, this is Audun." Ah, I was being introduced. _Again._ "Under certain circumstances he's staying with me right now. We thought about getting him a pet for company."

"Hmm..." Heracles stared me for a long time deep in thought. I was starting to get uncomfortable under his bottle-green gaze when he startled me by speaking again. "What kind of animals do you like?"

"Uh, dogs and cats and birds- ah!" I felt something fluffy nudge my leg. Looking down at my feet I saw a little white kitten with a single brown patch over it's right eye. It stared at me hopefully with it's blue eyes for a good minute or two and then resumed to rub it's head against my pant leg. It was admittedly very cute. I turned back to Heracles. "Do you keep animals free in the shop?"

"Only cats... Cats should never be locked up in cages..." He seemed to shudder to the mere thought. "That one seems to like you. Pick him up."

"What?"

"Pick him up." Xiang repeated.

"I heard that! But why?" Nevertheless I did as I was told. The kitten looked delighted and made itself cosy in my arms, all the while rubbing it's face against me and purring contently. Before soon-

"He," my mind reader best friend reminded me. Right, the kitten was apparently a boy cat. So, before soon _he_ was asleep in my arms.

Long story short, before I even knew it I was the owner of the white kitten and he was sleeping in my lap while we drove home (Tino had called Berwald to pick us up).

Now, what am I going to name him?

* * *

Su-chan: Phew... That came out long! A lot of stuff happened in this chapter. What do you think? Was it good? Bad? Great (I'm highly doubting that)? My own favourite part is the flashback where Audun and Joa meet for the first time. Joa though just couldn't shut up for one chapter. I also had fun writing the scene in Heracles' pet shop. I need to remember that strawberry soup gives a good inspiration next time. Usually I just inspire myself by consuming insane amounts of chocolate milk xD. A slight sugar high is good for inspiration...

Right, to my notes...

**Translations:**  
Öitä (Finnish) - 'Night  
mon ami (French) - my friend  
Buongiorno (Italian) - Good morning

**Random notes:  
-**First, the "brothers". This is first of the three bigger plot twists in "MoJ". I decided this very early, and have been giggling to myself a long time already about how they look like brothers, act like brothers, refer to each other as brothers and love each other like brothers but they're not brothers!  
**-**I've fallen in love with Nekotalia. And Icecat especially. He's just so damn _cute_. I already have a name for him in this fic but I won't tell it to you yet. I'll just say it's Icelandic and reminds me of saphires which, btw, are my favourite gemstones. Norcat and Icecat also have roles in "Unparalleled".  
**-**Also, it seems Audun's awkward age has started. He's blown up twice now. From now he's probably gonna do that every now and then. As well as back-talk to Joa and Tino (whom I've started to think as his parents, Tino as his dad and Joa as mom xD) and get more sarcastic. Also, can you see how "dad" is spoiling him when "mom" is absent? xD It cracked me up when I realised that.  
**-**I've been thinking lately about how long "MoJ" is going to be. At this point this point I have the material to make "MoJ" about 22 to 27 chapters long in total. The 9th chapter will be the last chapter of Present.

**Review Replies:**

_**PuffinCup:**_ Already answered.

_**(): **_Well done! Hope you liked the chapter! Thank you for reviewing!

**_atramentaceous: _**Hyvä! (= Good!) Also, that reminds me, why is there no DenNor in _my_ notes? (Iceland: Because Noregur would kill you...?) No, I think the main reason is that I can't draw Denmark's hair... need to practise that. And Norway needs to deal with it. Maybe I'll start to illustrate "Blind Love" next...

**_lothinielflowermaiden: _**I don't mind having conversations over reviews. Long reviews are the best. Earlier this week I counted that in my group of friends you can hear 12 different languages (Finnish included). Also, I read an interesting article from a newspaper about a documentary soon to be published in the US about what Americans should learn about Finnish education system. The documentary is made by Bob Compton and Tony Wagner. In Finland everyone has to learn at least two languages which are English (foreign language) and Swedish (second national language) in addition to Finnish. In high school students can take elective languages (I have Spanish and some of my friends take Italian and French). I must ask, what American schools teach then if there's minimal amount of languages and no religion? Lots and lots of English and history? Also, have tried finding language courses from internet? I would also recommend Swedish. It's the easiest one and has a lot of loanwords from English. If you wish something more difficult, then Danish or Norwegian. And if you wish to twist your tongue, then Finnish or Icelandic. It's rather amusing that we Finns too have sometimes trouble with our grammatical cases. I remember when I was freshman and we had a German exchange student who one day asked if 'sitting on a table' is 'in' or 'on' in Finnish. About 15 Finns pondered the right answer all the recess for fifteen minutes. Also, when I was finding a name for Icecat for this chapter, I stumbled into an Icelandic page. I tried to read the text there and twisted my tongue pretty hopelessly after two sentences. But Icelandic looks pretty when written. To me it's enough now that I can pronounce the chapter names. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

**_-kolkolkolRUSSIA:_** Thank you! Your review came in time, I was starting to think "MoJ" as crap again. (Happens every once in a while, I have self-esteem issues.) As for the sidenote, do you have any idea where your going to go? North or south, Savonia or Finland Proper? (I've heard exchange students get to know their exact location very late, usually only when they come to the country.) I don't want to tell the name of my hometown, but I can give hints where I live. It's located to the Northern Savonia region and it's in the 10th biggest cities of Finland (8th biggest if my memory serves me right) with population of 90-something thousand people. Geographically thinking, I live somewhere close to Tino's left knee. It's the home of kalakukko and J.V. Snellman and Minna Canth also lived here. The city is almost completely surrounded by a lake and one of it's best known sight is the tower. If you Google these hints you can figure out what city I'm talking about. And when you come to Finland first thing you _must_ do is to get someone buy you some salmiakki and Fazer's Blue (chocolate). Anyway, I'll keep my eyes and ears open for Canadian exchange students next year. I hoped you liked the chapter!

One note concerning my appearance, something that doesn't read in my profile. It's been mentioned twice now. My bow(/ribbon/whatever you want to call it). One of the best ways to recognise me in "civil life" is the fact that I always wear a bow around my neck. It's kind of like a mix of Iceland and Austria's bow ties (or whatever they are called). It's actually a brightly coloured silk scarf I tie in a ribbon around my neck every morning. It rests on my right shoulder and looks fluffy. If I keep it in the front I can pull a good Austria-look. I have three scarfs each one different in colour, there's green, blue and yellow (and possibly I also have purple one soon too). Right now I'm wearing the blue one. If you see a girl fitting to description walking down a street (especially if she carries a notebook too) you're welcome to come to speak to me (although you're probably going to give me a bad startle first). Tell me who you are and ask if I'm Su-chan/SomeSnowInShell and that should be it. I don't think there's much possibility to get a wrong person as no-one wears a scarf like I do! I've been getting comments from my friends that it looks cute...

Now! Thing your probably been waiting. **Poll results!  
**...I'm not happy with them. Only **4** people have voted and "Unparalleled", "Blind Love" and "concentrate on "MoJ" are on a tie. So, to poll will still be there for one more chapter. A chapter I might not publish before I'm happy with the results. I'm very sorry, I don't like to be mean to people but you're starting to drive me over the edge. Little summaries of the stories in option. (I've actually been thinking about their plot too lately.)

**"Unparalleled"**: Eiríkur has a dream. Artistic gymnastics-fic. / Countries complete against each other in teams and as individuals. Eiríkur is a young gymnastic with a big dream. He admires over everything else an older gymnastic called Lukas Bondevik. Eíríkur's dream first starts to come true when he gets an invitation to the Nordic team where Lukas also is. Friendship/Adventure. Rated T.

**"Blind Love"**: He had very beautiful eyes. It was a real pity such beautiful eyes were sightless. / A love story that takes place in the 19th century Berlin. Lukas is a young blind heir who has been getting dead threats. They hire him a bodyguard, Mathias. DenNor. Romance/Drama. Rated T.

**"I Wonder, Do You Ever Think Of Me?" **is no longer in option. It hasn't gotten any votes so I'm using my energy to the two other instead.

**Please vote!**

Su-chan: Now I've said all I wanted. Please vote and review! Reviews keep me writing! Have a nice Easter!  
Gilbird: Peep!  
Su-chan: What the...?  
Prussia: Kesesese!  
Su-chan: Preussi perkele!

**Happy Easter! Felisez Pascuas! Hyvää pääsiäistä! Glad Påsk! God Påske!**


	9. Heimsókn

Moi! Long time no see! Did you miss me already? (Just kidding, but if you say 'yes' I'm going to run into nearest wall and scare Norge.) I'm sorry the 9th chapter is exactly one month late now. Life caught up with me. xD See, my plan is to gratuate high school in a year and we had to make plans for our matriculation exams at school. I'm going to make my first matriculation exam (of Biology) at fall. And then in the last month of school it seems that everyone thought it would be very much fun to throw Su-chan with some essays... In the end I had two Finnish essays, two Swedish essays and one Spanish essay to write. And then came the exam week... But now I've got everything done and I'm free till August! (I tried to get a summer job but first-timers always get neglected...) Oh, well, more time to write! (Get my thousand-and-one ideas on paper.) I hope long chapter will make up the wait... xD Seriously, this went to the eleventh page on Open Office, must be a new record...

Su-chan: And now, might I ask why you're all here?  
Norway: Ice and I are always here.  
Iceland: *nods*  
Finland: I came to see you! *huffs a bit* I'm allowed to do that, right? I'm your own country!  
Su-chan: Yes, yes you are, Suomi. I mostly meant those three... *point at Sweden, Denmark and Prussia*  
Sweden: I c'me with m'Fin.  
Denmark: I came to help Norge!  
Norway: I haven't asked your help for anything, Dan.  
Su-chan: And you, Prussia?  
Prussia: You invited the awesome me came for the disclaimer! Right, Gilbird?  
Gilbird: Peep!  
Su-chan: You _invited yourself _for the disclaimer.  
Prussia: Kesesese! I don't remember that! *cooes to Gilbird* That's my boy!

(Also, no-one seemed to get my Easter chicken-joke last time. You see, in Finland we decorate the house with yellow chickens and chocolate eggs on Easter. Gilbird was my makeshift Easter chicken. The part with Preussi coming too wasn't in the plan... That's why I cursed at him. Oh, well...)

Su-chan: Herranjestas, miten minusta tuntuu, että tästä tulee taas kaaosta...? (= My god, how do I get this feeling that this is going to end up in chaos again...?)  
Finland: Don't worry, Norja, Islanti and I will help to prevent that!  
Iceland: *looks up from a book stolen from Su-chan's bookshelf* Huh? Yeah.  
Denmark: Hej, Prøjsen! Let's go get beers!  
Finland: Oh, no! Did it already start?  
Prussia: Good idea, my friend!  
Norway: *wraps arms around Den's neck* Danmark stays here with me now.  
Denmark: O-okay, Norge! *blush*  
Su-chan: DenNor! UAH! *dodges a flying object thrown by Nor*  
Iceland: Great plan, Nor. Also, just so you know, your phone doesn't like to get thrown around. *picks Nor's phone from the ground*  
Norway: *still hugging Den's neck* Whacking doesn't seem to work so I had to try something drastic... And I know, it was just the only object in hand...  
Finland: Luckily it's Nokia. My phones won't break!  
Su-chan: *sigh* How about we wrap all of this up with the disclaimer? Ruotsi, do have Preussi?  
Sweden: *holds Prussia in place* Ja.  
Mr. Puffin: Sing yer song, birdie!  
Gilbird: Peep?  
Su-chan: Ice! Keep your puffin in line!  
Iceland: Sorry! He escaped the cage!  
Mr. Puffin: You're not gonna put me back in jail, jerk!  
Finland: The disclaimer? Preussi!  
Prussia: Ice's bird insulted me and my Gilbird!  
Mr. Puffin: I'm not a 'bird', I'm a puffin, you son of a bitch!  
Su-chan: Someone shut the puffin up before I have to turn the rating into M!  
Norway: Shut up, puffin!  
Denmark: Don't yell in my ear, Norgie... *gets whacked* Av!  
Norway: Don't call me with that name.  
Iceland: Hyah! *jumps on Mr. Puffin and catches him* Now, you're going back to the cage...  
Mr. Puffin: _No!_ No jail! *flaps wigs frantically* You're cruel, sonny!

(Please, wait a few minutes to the chaos to settle a bit... This is just why I usually don't have too many nations etc. visiting my ANs...)

Su-chan: Disclaimer?  
Prussia: ...  
Gilbird: ...Peep. *sounds grumpy*  
Su-chan: Ruotsi, could you?  
Sweden: Th' discl'imer, _Preussen_. *attempts to look as intimidating as possible*  
Prussia: Fine! The Mädel here doesn't own Hetalia nor does she make money with it!  
Su-chan: I'm not your Mädel...

Enjoy~!

* * *

"**Mats og Joa"**

**Chapter 9: Visiting**

I was doing my violin homework that night. Xiang was over as well but was already done with his flute and was now playing with my kitten that we had decided to call Safír. He was now 5 months old and very playful. Suddenly he let go of the thread Safír had chased around and turned to me.

"Audun?"

"Hm?" I asked from where I was standing while I continued to play the piece.

"How have you been doing?"

I startled and stopped playing abruptly with resulted that the bow made an ear-splitting screech against the strings. I turned to look Xiang who was sitting on my bed with my eyes wide. "W-what kind of question was that? You've seen me every day in the past month. I'm fine!"

"No. I meant... with that stuff that happened with your brother and all... Are you all right with that?"

"I'm fine..."

"Really?" Xiang looked me seriously to the eyes. "Really?" He repeated and his deep hazel eyes seemed to be searching my very soul. My hands fisted (carefully of course as I was still holding the violin). Moments like this he reminded me almost painfully of Joa. I sighed and sat down next to him.

Of course I had understood what he meant the first time... It was just... I sighed again.

"I... I still think about him daily. And I miss him a lot. There's also things I can't talk to Tino or you. Things only Joa understands." I turned to look away. Had I really just confessed that?

"...It's okay for you to miss him. You're brothers."

"Actually-"

Xiang cut me off. "I know you're not biological brothers. Tino told me. But it's the love that matters."

I blushed a bit. Xiang talked so relaxedly about things like love. "Can't he keep anything to himself?" I changed the topic with a frustrated retort referring to Tino.

"Believe me, there's also things Tino doesn't like to speak about. And you would have told me on your own anyway, right?"

"I guess..."

We were silent for a while, just thinking our own things. "Are you lonely? Has Safír helped at all?" Xiang asked and lifted the kitten up from where he was circling around our feet.

"Not so much any more. You're with me every day and I have made a lot of friends at school. Tino's really nice to me and I have Safír but..."

"But?"

"But... Sometimes when I can't sleep this room still feels so big and quiet and cold. And then... I feel lonely in a way I can't explain."

Xiang stared me quietly for a long time before he turned away. "...Sorry. I made you sad again, didn't I?" He said.

I didn't deny and continued instead: "Sometimes... I just can't help but think they're just too afraid to tell me the truth."

"The truth?" Xiang turned to look me in the eyes again. "No. Don't think about things like that. Joa... Joa is going to be fine. You're going to see him soon. I just know it."

Time had flown by. Christmas (Tino had thrown a big party in the restaurant which had involved dragging the most enormous fir tree I had ever seen in the middle of the dining hall next to the piano and decorating it) and New Years had gone by and it was now January. A month had passed without any word from the hospital. A full month had passed without Joa.

**: : :**

The next morning I walked to the school with Xiang and Mei as usual. We met Elise about two blocks before school and walked the rest of the way together. Or actually the girls walked together and Xiang and I dragged a few steps behind.

Mei and Elise wore similar uniforms for school. They both had knee-length red plaided skirts (the material was the same than in Xiang and my trousers) and white bows tied around their necks (like me). They chatted enthusiastically about... uh, I don't know, sometimes they glanced us and then whispered things to each other and giggled. Girl things, I guess.

...Girls are weird.

We met Marc and Victoria in the school yard. They were talking (or quarrelling, with those two you could never be too sure) together when we came.

"Hi, Victoria!" Elise shouted as soon as they were within earshot.

"Liz! Mei! Good to see you girls!" Victoria ran to Elise and Mei and hugged them. She wore her uniform with red tie and her hair was also pulled into the familiar red bows.

Marc, on the other hand, walked to Xiang and I and draped his arms over our shoulders. "Mornin', guys!" Marc was a tall (taller than Xiang), brown-haired boy with a weird curl in his hair (like Joa and Feliciano had too) and a womanizer personality. He was Feliciano and Lovino's younger cousin and a year older than the rest of us. He also went steady with Victoria but they fought a lot because of Marc's inability to not flirt with every girl he saw. Marc wore his uniform with red tie like Xiang and Victoria but his was always loosened so far that it was practically off. Needless to say, the teachers complained about it a lot and he had also been in detention because of it many times. At least he was wearing his sweater correctly today. Usually that too was tied around his waist. His cello case was strapped on his back.

"Hey, Xiang-man! Did you fess your feelings to her yet?"

Xiang blushed (which was a rather comical sight since he usually didn't even smile). It wasn't really a secret that he liked Mei more than just a (adoptive) sister.

"Shut up, Marc." He muttered and attempted to shove him.

"Aww! I take that as a 'no'. She'd be a nice catch, you know. You gotta hurry up before someone else is going to pick her up, pal."

"I think I told you to shut up."

Marc shrugged. "Your loss. I was just trying to help. What about you, Audun? Have anyone in sight?"

I startled slightly the sudden attention I was receiving. Even Xiang stopped sulking and turned to look at me. "I... uh, no. I don't have anyone in sight."

"Hmm... a pity. We gotta find someone for you!"

"There's no nee-"

Marc didn't listen to me. He was already in full swing. "Let's see, from our circle of friends... well, Vicky and I are already together, Mei is reserved for Xiang..." At this point Marc nudged Xiang a bit and threw a wink to him. "Liz doesn't have a boyfriend..." I felt my hopes sore when he mentioned Elise. "...but her brother is an overprotective gun-maniac so it would be suicidal to ask her out." Crash.

"There's this nice girl, Mona Bonnefoy, Francis niece, in class 2D." Marc continued. "You'd look cute together. Do you think she would be your type?"

I had met Mona once or twice. She was her class' president and was in student body. She played clarinet and viola and had Math classes with me. She was a pretty girl with her bluish eyes and honey-blonde hair that was always tied into a lop-sided braid. She had intelligent, diligent and demanding personality and she was known to be a perfectionist. I had heard rumours of her turning down many boys before and she was said to be picky. Her full name was Monalisa but it was often shortened to Mona.

"No, I'm not really interested in girls-"

"You mean you're into boys?" Marc asked.

"No! I was about to say I'm not interested in girls _right now!_ Meaning, I'm not interested in dating anyone right now!"

Suddenly a new voice joined our conversation. "Well, that's a pity." Victoria said. "My dad just gave me six free tickets to amusement park last night. We thought with girls to have a triple-date there. You know, 'cause we have three boys and three girls in our circle of friends now. But if Audun doesn't want to... well, Liz is going alone then."

God, or whoever is up there, why do you hate me so much?

Xiang voiced his opinion too: "Maybe... if we didn't make it a date... What I mean is that... we would just go there as friends..." Xiang fumbled uncharacteristically over his sentences. Oh, yeah, Marc and Victoria would obviously be a couple on our "date" and if they had planned to pair me with Elise then Xiang would be paired up with Mei.

Quick thinking, man.

Victoria looked disappointed. "Well... we could do it like that but it wouldn't be as fun..."

"We can have just as much one with just being friends!" Mei assured her quickly. Then the bell rang.

"What do you guys have now?" Victoria asked.

"I have cello lesson with Mr. Edelstein." Marc said.

"Xiang and I have literacy." I answered.

"Okay! Girls and I have P.E. together. See you all at lunch! We'll talk more then!" Victoria said and we parted ways.

**: : :**

We sat in the canteen on our regular table with Xiang shifting his food around his plate distastefully and muttering something along the lines of how he could swear the person who made our food was British. I didn't think the food was that bad (of course I had heard about Arthur's cooking experiments countless of times from Alfred) but then again Yao was a chef so Xiang was probably used to certain quality.

Marc also came with his plate full of pasta. He too treated it with same contempt as Xiang. I guess as an Italian, he took offence for his ruined national food.

Then came the girls. I was glad to notice that they ate their food without any unnecessary comments. I had grown up in poor conditions first in an orphanage and then with Joa so I didn't approve picking. Elise was the one to voice my thoughts.

"Xiang, Marc, please, just eat your food or you're going to be hungry later. We won't be eating soon again." She glanced Victoria, "Right?"

Victoria nodded. "Yeah! We talked about the date during P.E. We thought that since it's Friday, we could go to the amusement park today after school! You know, as the school lets out early today!"

"And, you know, here I thought it wasn't supposed to be a date." Xiang muttered.

"It's not! It's just easier and more exciting to call it a date than going-to-amusement-park-with-some-friends!"

"What about permissions? We have to call our guardians and parents..." I noted.

"Oh, don't worry about that! I already called Yao to get permissions for Xiang and I and Tino gave his to you!" Mei piped in.

"What! When did you have the time to do that?" Xiang exclaimed and we all laughed at his dumbfounded tone.

"In the meantime as Vicky called her dad and Liz her brother!"

Girls were quick to arrange things to their liking when they really wanted something. Oh, but no-one had bothered to ask _my_ permission to this? Oh, well... What's the possibility that something would happen just the night I was away?

**: : :**

The rest of the school day went as usual and we were let out at 2 p.m. We took a bus to the amusement park and used Victoria's free tickets to get in.

"The bus trip took one hour, so if we want to be home at 8, we have four hours to be here." Mei calculated quickly.

"What do you guys want to do first?" Marc asked.

Victoria raised her hand. "I suggest that we split up in pairs now!"

"We agreed that this wouldn't be a date!" Xiang opposed. "And I'm hungry!"

"That's what you get for not eating at school." I told him.

"If we..." Elise started.

"If we what?" Victoria asked.

"Oh..." Elise shied a bit as we all turned our attention to her. "I... I was just thinking if we eat something first and then decided where we want to go."

"Like to the roller coaster!" Marc cheered.

Mei laughed. "That's not a good idea; Xiang gets easily nauseated."

I laughed a bit too and poked Xiang's side. "Is that so?"

"Shut up." Xiang pouted and turned to look the other way. "I wasn't thinking about going to the roller coaster anyway..."

"Maybe, if just went to eat first and then we can split depending on where we want to go." I proposed.

"Okay!" Victoria and others agreed.

**: : :**

They say, time flies when you have good time, and all too soon also our day in the amusement park was over and we had to hurry to the bus. The bus trip went pretty uneventfully even though Marc complained a bit about getting a tummy ache from eating too much cotton candy. Girls already planned about what we would do together during weekend. Something about spending a day hanging out in the mall. Xiang and I occasionally commented something but mostly we just stayed quiet. In only one day we both had learnt not to interfere if the girls really wanted to do something. That would only result trouble.

Suddenly I got a weird feeling. "Do you think we've been missed?" I whispered to Xiang.

"Meh. Maybe by our homework if anything. The adults know where we have been."

"Don't remind me about the homework." I whispered frustratedly. We were only in junior high and they _loaded_ us with homework every day! "But, yeah, I guess you're right. Everyone knows where we've been."

The bus drove to the station and we bid goodbyes and good nights to each other. Marc and Victoria went the same way to the other direction and the rest of us walked together. Mei and Elise slightly ahead and Xiang and I a few steps behind. Just walking.

Suddenly I got the most craziest idea.

I didn't even think about it as I caught up with the girls with a few quick strides and took hold of Elise's delicate little shoulder. They turned to look at me with shock and bewilderment written all over their faces. Someone shouted my name. I didn't listen to them, all I saw was Elise.

I took a breath in. "Elise, would you like to walk with me?"

The silence that fell after my question was stifling and as soon as it had came, the mist cleared from my head as well as all the confidence I had had just 30 seconds ago. My cheeks heated up. What had I just done? I had surely ruined every little chance I had had with Elise! I had ruined it all! _'What on earth had I been thinking? !'_

"Audun?" Elise's sweet soprano called my name. I snapped out of my thoughts.

"Y-yes? I... I'm really sorry for what I just did. I don't know what I was thinking..." _'I __**wasn't**__ thinking...'_ I slapped myself mentally. I had probably crept her out for good...

"No, it's okay." _'Did she just say what I think she said?' _Elise suddenly found the ground and the tips of her shoes very interesting. Then she looked back up at me and smiled softly. "I'd love to walk with you, Audun." And so, my heart took off to the cloud nine.

The rest of the walk was nice with Elise's light chatter. I wasn't able to answer too much though as I could feel my face aflame all the while and was slightly scared that I would start stuttering... I could also feel Xiang's smirk on my back from where he walked with Mei behind us. But I was out of luck yet again. Just when I started feeling that I could relax and start speaking with her actively, it was time to part ways. We all bid good nights to her and promised to see again at school on Monday or on Sunday if the plan with the mall came true.

Xiang and Mei teased me the rest of the way back to the restaurant but luckily the walk was short and soon my home came to view. As well as Tino who paced restlessly in front of it.

"Audun!" He shouted as soon as he saw us and started off towards us. "Audun! I've been trying to call you countless of times already!"

Oops. I had to turn my phone off when we had entered the Ghost train. Seems like I forgot to turn it back on...

"Did something happen?" Xiang asked him.

Tino nodded. "They called from the hospital. Joa is freed from the quarantine. We can go and visit him when we want."

"That's great!" Mei exclaimed.

Joa was alright? And I could go and see him?

"C-can we go and see him now?" I asked.

Tino turned his attention to me. "Ah... about that. I'm sorry, Audun, the visiting hours have ended already." I couldn't help the bang of disappointment in my heart. "But we'll go to the hospital tomorrow." Tino continued.

I smiled a bit. "Did you get to speak with Joa? How is he?"

Tino smiled too and any strain that was on his face just minutes ago faded. "No, I spoke through Ivan. He said Joa has recovered well. The cough has healed and he's alert and active. We'll go to visit him tomorrow, you'll see him then."

"I told you." Xiang smiled (yes, actually smiled!) next to me.

**: : :**

The next morning I was the first one up. The previous night I thought I wouldn't be able to sleep at all with the news of Joa but in the end I had managed to fell asleep feeling more content than I could ever remember to have been. Now I hummed and danced around the kitchen (with Safír circling around in my feet and nearly tripping me every few minutes), making breakfast to everyone so we could get to the hospital as soon as possible. Suddenly I heard a chuckle behind me and I turned around quickly.

Tino was standing in the doorway. "Huomenta, Audun. Are you making breakfast?"

I nodded firmly. "Mm-hm. I want to see Joa as soon as possible!"

Tino laughed. "Oh, Audun, the visiting hours don't start until 9."

I checked the clock and sighed irritatedly. 6.30.

Time seemed to go slower just to torture me. It was also infuriating how Tino and others were so completely at ease and calmly ate the breakfast I had made. Mathias, when he had came to the kitchen and heard I had cooked, had loudly yelled "I didn't know you could cook, kiddo!" and laughed. Now, however, he seemed to be somewhat angry. I wondered if he had had a fight with Berwald... Berwald, who sat opposite from Mathias, also seemed more serious than normal. Even though they were cousins, they didn't get along that well all the time. Finally, as I couldn't stay put any more, Tino told me to go watch TV.

I ended up watching _Lazy Town_ and _Pokémon_, playing with Safírand just kicking around with my feet. I was _bored_. I wanted to get going already but adults were being so _slow_. I wished Xiang would have been with me but on weekends the restaurant wasn't opened until evening and both Wangs took the opportunity to sleep in. (Mei didn't get along with Yao so well and was known to make her tracks to Victoria's or Elise's before Yao woke up.)

_Finally_, when the clock struck twenty minutes past eight the adults disappeared into their rooms to get dressed. (_I_ had gotten dressed a _long_ time ago.) After half an hour of morning duties, showers etc. etc. we were ready to get going.

We arrived to the hospital a few minutes past nine and Tino got a pale-haired nurse called Natalia show us to Joa's room. Judging from Tino's (mostly one-sided) chatter with Natalia all the way to the elevator and to the third floor, the two of them knew each other like Tino had also known Dr. Braginski. Berwald and Mathias stayed quiet.

We stopped in front of the right room and Natalia asked us to wait outside as she went in to check if Joa was awake and willing to see us. The few minutes wait felt like hours and butterflies started to attempt to claim my stomach. And then Natalia came out of the room.

"Mr. Johansen is awake and waiting for you." She said.

"I think you should go in first, Audun." Tino told me.

Natalia thought for a moment before she spoke again. "Yes, Mr. Johansen actually asked for a person called Audun. I hardly got to tell him he had visitors when he already asked back if Audun was there. So, you're this Audun... I've heard from Brother that he has asked for you every day in the past month." I felt something burning in my eyes. Joa had missed me too. "Now get inside," Natalia told me, "before he gets impatient. ...He's truly a pain when he gets impatient..." She muttered the last part to herself as she walked away.

"We'll give you a few minutes alone with Joa before we come in, okay?" Tino said to me.

I nodded and opened the door to the hospital room. Only to reveal a another small room with a lot of shelves containing different hospital equipment. I walked through the small room to the door onto the opposite wall. I held my breath as I knocked quickly and opened the door.

Joa sat on the only bed in the room with his legs on the floor. He was dressed in hospital pyjamas and gown and his bangs were tied up with the familiar cross clip. His skin still had a bit of sick pallor but all in all, he looked a lot better than he had ever looked in the past three months. By the look of things, he had been reading when I had knocked and looked up to me in the middle of setting his book away. As I stood in the doorway, he set the book on the table next to the bed, straightened up and smiled softly, opening his arms for me. With a little shout of "Joa!", the burning sensation was back and this time I let the tears fall as I rushed into his arms. Joa pulled me sitting in his lap (or actually in between his legs) and I felt thin yet strong arms wrap around my back as I sobbed against his chest. I was so happy to see him again. Joa tightened the hug and spoke.

"_Hysj... Alt er ok. Jeg er her. Ro deg ned, Audun, jeg kommer til å bli bra. Alt kommer til å bli bra._" He whispered into my ear. I, however, couldn't calm down just yet.

"_Audun... __Vær så snill, ikke gråt__. Det gjø__r vondt å se deg gråte._" Joa whispered again and planted a kiss on top of my head.

I took a breath in and whispered back. "_Jeg savna deg, Joa._"

Joa chuckled a bit. "_Jeg savna deg også._"

We sat like for a while just like that. Me against Joa's chest, listening his heartbeat and soft, even breaths so different from the ragged and painful ones during his sickness. I could finally calm down with Joa humming a familiar song under his breath. I would have probably fallen asleep if it weren't for Tino and others coming in. I turned around in Joa's lap to face the door. His arms stayed securely around me.

"Hello," Tino called. "Is it okay to come in now?"

"Yes, please, do come in." Joa answered before turning his attention to me. "Audun, can you introduce your friends to me?"

I nodded to Joa and Tino came forward first. "This is Tino... Tino Vai... Vain..." I still couldn't pronounce his last name...

Tino shook hands with Joa. "Väinämöinen. I'm Tino Väinämöinen. Audun's been living with me for the past month. Nice to meet you, Joa!"

Joa nodded to Tino and allowed a small smile grace his lips. Then his eyes widened (slightly) as Berwald came to greet him. "Berwald Oxenstierna." I said, a bit confused of Joa's reaction.

"Hello again, Mr. Berwald." Joa said with a barely there chuckle.

"Y' don't w'rk for me an' m're, y' can jus' call me B'rwald."

Joa laughed a bit. "Very well, then." They knew each other already?

I cleared my throat, "And then there's Mathias." Not even trying to pronounce his last name...

All of a sudden the room temperature seemed to fall at least ten degrees as Joa and Mathias shook hands. I glanced the two of then confusedly and noticed how both of them eyed each other coldly. Joa's blue eyes nearly glaring Mathias and his lips that had just smiled, were now pulled in thin line. They greeted each other in downright icy manner.

"Hello." Mathias said.

"Hello." Joa answered and his cold glare seemed to intensify.

Had Mathias already managed to rub badly on Joa? Or was there something more between them...?

We talked the next hour or so like that. Joa and Tino befriended immediately and led the conversations. Berwald and I made occasional comments but Mathias was unnaturally quiet. I noticed that when he spoke he never spoke straight to Joa but mostly to Tino or I. Joa too seemed to be pointedly ignoring him but nevertheless glanced Mathias every now and then with an unreadable look. To my discomfort, I was the main topic in most of our conversations. My school life, friends, possible crush... I refused to speak about that, by the way. Joa also remembered to congratulate me for getting in E-Academy and told me to take the violin with me next time I would come to visit as he wanted to hear if I had gotten better. They also tried to get me to sing but I refused.

Then there was a knock from the door and Dr. Braginski walked in. "Oh, I heard Mr. Johansen got visitors, I'm sorry to disturb your family meeting but Mr. Johansen needs to take his medicine." He said with a (creepy) chuckle. "And then I need to feel Mr. Johansen's abdominal area."

"Why?" Mathias blurted suddenly. He had been quiet for a long time...

Dr. Braginski send slightly annoyed look to his direction. "Because the medicine Mr. Johansen is on are very strong and might cause damage to his liver. We need to check the condition of his liver so we know that the medicine he receives is safe for him. Oh, and that also reminds me that we need a blood sample to check blood counts too. This means that we'll take a little blood test." Insert maniac smile here. Joa sighed.

"Do y' w'nt us ta go?" Berwald asked.

"Please no..." Joa muttered.

"Oh, there's no need!" Dr. Braginski said. "The examination and the test are very quick to make and Mr. Johansen doesn't need to undress. Just please, stay there, da? And after the tests I have news to tell you. Now, Mr. Johansen, your medicine." He wiggled a small cup with pills in it in front of Joa's face. Joa took the cup and Dr. Braginski poured him a glass of water. I tried to inch closer to Tino unnoticed.

Joa took the medicine with water and after that Dr. Braginski asked him to lie to the bed on his back. I inched closer to Tino but still tried to see Dr. Braginski's hands. I wanted to see he wouldn't do anything to Joa like pull a scalpel out his sleeve and stab it in Joa's stomach...

Dr. Braginski opened Joa's gown and raised his shirt to expose his stomach. Then he started to move his hands around Joa's stomach and pressed in some places and felt others. Joa seemed slightly uncomfortable during the groping (well, who wouldn't...) but luckily the examination was soon over.

"Nothing is wrong with the internal organs. The medication can be continued. Now, the blood test. You can sit up Mr. Johansen." Dr. Braginski smiled and went to the hospital equipment room, probably to get the right needles to the blood test... Joa sat up and lowered his shirt and tied the gown back around himself. I inched back towards him as he rolled his right sleeve up for the blood test. And gasped. The bend of Joa's right arm was full of tiny needle pricks.

Joa looked at me and explained. "They've needed to check my blood counts at least twice a week. For safety."

Dr. Braginski came back. He seemed excited when he called "Are we ready?" with a smile. As he came forward he seemed to notice me for the first time. "Oh, little one is here too! How have you been? Have you been a good boy to Tino?" He chuckled. I didn't answer and decided to clung to Joa instead while glaring Dr. Braginski distrustfully. Mind you that I don't like this doctor...

After the blood test was done and the sample had been given to the big-chested nurse to deliver to laboratory, it was time for Dr. Braginski to tell his news to us. "Well," he started, "as you can see, Mr. Johansen has made great recovery in the past month. And if the same goes on, he can be released after another month."

Everyone was happy for the good news and Tino told us that as my room had two beds, Joa could move in with us when he got released. I was happy for that too. Joa and I would still have the same room so things wouldn't change as much as I thought they would.

We stayed in the hospital until the last minute of the visiting hours and Natalia practically had to kick us out. I promised to Joa to come visit him again tomorrow.

That night, I played and sang at the restaurant again.

* * *

Su-chan: *looks half-dead* Phew... Long chapter... But it was fun to write! And as you can see from the end, the author has gone and read a bit too much of Medic book again... xD (It's interesting!) And believe it or not, I don't plan to become a doctor... I wouldn't trust myself with needles. xD Or the wheel of a car for the matter...

Wait a sec! Whole chapter was in Audun's POV? Wow... Anyway, it was also nice to get to write Joa in person again... I missed him too!

Then... I hope the Norwegian in this chapter is correct. I had fun with m'dictionary. xD The first sentense is actually made in Google Translate since m'dictionary doesn't tell me what future tense looks like in Norwegian. But the three after that I made myself! *looks proud of herself before the look drops* ...Please correct if I got them wrong...

And now I don't remember if I had anything else in mind so we're moving on...

**Translations:**

_Huomenta_ (Finnish) = 'Morning

_Hysj... Alt er ok. Jeg er her. Ro deg ned, Audun, jeg kommer til å bli bra. Alt kommer til å bli bra._ (Norwegian) = Shh... Everything is okay. I'm here. Calm down, Audun, I'm going to be fine. Everything is going to be fine.

_Audun... __Vær så snill, ikke gråt__. Det gjø__r vondt å se deg gråte. _(Norwegian) = Audun... Please don't cry. It hurts me to see you cry.

_Jeg savna deg, Joa. _(Norwegian) = I missed you, Joa.

_Jeg savna deg også. _(Norwegian) = I missed you too.

**Random notes:**

**-**First, Audun's kitten. I named him Safír. It's means sapphire. (Ooops... for once the Google Translate was somewhat useful...) In Finnish 'sapphire' is 'safiiri'. This is why I said the name reminded me off them. Also, I got the name from an Icelandic page. :D (That language is nuts... (= author twisted her tongue rather profusely.)) In Iceland, it's believed that a cat listens better to a name that starts with S. Just a little fact I read. If I have Norcat somewhere I'll call him Bragi, btw.  
**-**Audun's love troubles... Oh, I had fun writing about those! xD Yes, the another main pairing is going to be IceLiech. (The author has gotten an overdose of VisayanSea's stories.)  
**-**Still continueing about Audun's love troubles... That walking scene happened to me in real life... I was Ice, btw. In the end of one Math lesson I just got this stupid idea to ask my crush to walk with me from the school to our bus stops. Must have been my craziest whim ever... But I don't regret it and I've done it three times after that time! xD Also, Audun's thoughts... my thoughts exactly. I thought that all the walk and about halfway I also made a sarcastic comment of "At least I get good material for MoJ..." This happened to me in January. The only difference in my situation was that he didn't make up a conversation... Which made it a lot more awkward...  
-The school food scene... Here in Finland we have free school lunches and that's what Audun & co have too. But in Finland goverment tries to save and in Audun's school Mr. Edelstein is a cheapskate so the food they serve there is pretty crappy. And seriously, an Italian would cry to the pasta they serve in my school. The joke of "The one who cooks this food must be British!" is something I've said to my friends at school.  
**-**Has anyone caught the puns I have put in Seborga, Monaco, and Seychelles' names? xD  
**-**Also, I have planned all the chapters now! (Spent one exceptionally boring Swedish lesson to it. xD) MoJ is going to be 23 chapters long in total. Past starts in next chapter and that part is going to be 9 chapters long like Present. Future has 5 chapters. Then I'll possibly write side stories, but that's up to you if you want them. Side stories possibly also include some sort of epilogue.

**Review replies:**

_**Rhythm15: **_(I was actually wondering a bit where you were...) And no need to hide. Noru-chan is only angry with me currently and Ice is busy with Mr. Puffin... xD And yes... The brothers thing was supposed to be shocking. Google Translate sucks in any language. I checked the Spanish translation too and laughed. Only two years of Spanish and I still understood how wrong it was. xD I was thinking the "fusososososo~~" chant when I wrote that. xD Also, in this chapter, I wrote the scene I kinda promised to you. Hope you liked this chapter.

**_CutsTheMustard: _**T-thank you...! Kiitos! I'll try to keep this style up! *determined look*

**_Hermeteikn: _**Kiitos! Me too (that's why chocolate sometimes plays a big role in the chapters). xD I've also managed addict Noreg with one Finnish chocolate brand. Good way to bribe him when he starts the silent treatment/sulking/get depressed/angry at me. Though that has also made my shopping trips rather comical... If I go two metres closer to the chocolates, he's going to pop up and ask me if I'm going to buy that. Same thing with Ice and liquorice... And thank you, again. I try? xD People have to be careful with me when they mention anything related to Finland, say they like the flag, or write to me in Finnish... Or I start to sing the national anthem. xD Sorry, I don't know what Norwegian tv presents... And Kven is actually closer to Finnish than Sami. I did research a while ago about Kven and Meänkieli and I could read both without any bigger problems. They just sound like really old-fashioned dialects to me. In Finland we have FST5-channel that mostly presents news and programs in Swedish but there's also some others (pearls 3) like the Icelandic comedy I watched a while ago. (Ice is a really fun guy when he wants to and tells great jokes.) I've also watched a Norwegian detective series called _Varg Veum_ that took place in Bergen. It's a pity it ended already but I have some episodes recorded! :D I could read that sentense you wrote just fine. "I'm starting to become irritated with those who think I'm an alien because I just write differently." Or something like that? I asked Noreg about that. He said it would be hard to change his written language to what minority has and as it hasn't worked before either. (In Finland it resulted among others things, a thing nowadays known as the Club War...) I asked him if he himself favored either one but he said that he can't. But he told a fact that might interest you. Whereas he uses bokmål at work and at public, his house in some cities (Oslo too) is in a neighborhood where everyone use nynorsk. He also huffed a bit about why people wouldn't to put their energy to fighting about something more important, as "for goodness sake, it's just two different ways to write the same language!" I also read that in Norway, everyone speak more or less with a dialect and that's how it is in Finland too. If you want, I can show you sometime the difference between how I write "proper" (linguistical) Finnish, (my) spoken Finnish and my dialect. Though as I'm a city girl, I seriously suck at Savonian. xD But sometimes it can be heard in in my speech. Just give me a sentense, preferably somewhat long. Whee. This reply got long! xD Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**_atramentaceous: _**(I actually have DenNor-plot line planned for "Unparalleled" as well... Do you really think any of my stories could escape the glory called DenNor? xD) Hope you enjoyed the chapter as Mats and Joa finally met each other. This is where it starts... *cheshire grin*

**_Pippuri-chan: _**Moi! Yep, it's Icekitty. He's just too cute to be let out! Also, why do you think Nor's scared that Ice and I would someday get into a fight. I have similar temper but I control it better. ...I personally think blind eyes are somewhat creepy... But I'll put your opinion to Den's head. He doesn't find them scary. He just thinks it's a pity such pretty eyes can't see. Also, if you ever see me, there's no need to get shy. (I'm most probably the one who shies more.) Even though my facial expressions are about the same as Norge's, once you find my speaking string, you're in trouble. My inner Finn won't shup up! xD

**_Kiki-nana:_** Moi! Ah, kiitos! You're not possibly the one Dane who read all published chapters of MoJ during one evening? (I certainly _wasn't _stalking that person in my profile... xD) I admit that I had but hints of them not being reak brothers ever since the first chapter (Audun: "I'm not seven any more.") but I think those were very hard to caught if you weren't reading carefully. So, I'll ask, what betrayed it? xD As for the languages... I'm not actually sure myself. xD Let's see, I can keep up a conversation in four languages: Finnish (my native), English, Swedish and Spanish. On top of that I have learnt Finnish Sign language and Japanese. And currently learning Norwegian on my own. At fall I'm planning to take one course of French at school. And then I know random words in countless of other languages like Icelandic, Estonian, Greek (I also know how to read Greek letters), Maltese (rusty), French, German, Hungarian and Danish too (only some greetings, and basic words like yes and no). Also, the truth is that whereas I write a fic with music academy and two musical main characters... I personally have never learnt to play even the block flute. xD My knowledge of music are just the basics like that you need a bow to play a violin, a guitar has six strings and what are the parts of the drums called. Everything else is due research and asking help from friends who actually know something about music. xD I greatly admire those who can play an instrument. Hope you liked the chapter! Se dig! (I hope phrase is right... I used Google Translator.)

**_lothinielflowermaiden: _**Thank you. It's true. One of my friends at school who was one of the first ones to read the first chapter said to me that they are not brothers but "brothers". Hong got his line about love from you, btw. The story of the bruise will be told later. :) Hmm... Basic words, you say? I've seen videos in Youtube where a wowan show the way to pronounce some Icelandic expressions. She speaks English. For Danish you have to ask some Dane. As for the last three, I can help. :D (Though I can't properly explain the pronounciation of Swedish and Norwegian by writing.) Also, can I ask which language of them you like the best? Which is the most beautiful? And no, that's not a trap question. xD You don't have to say Finnish. Icelandic is the one that has drawn away from the shared parent language (that word cracks me up, btw xD) the slowest. That's why it still has the weird letters as well. I made some reserch and Swedish _is _the one that is the most easiest to learn and it also gives a good ground for learning other Nordic languages (except Finnish obviously). In Swedish nouns have two genders (in Norwegian and Icelandic there's three, Danish has two too, and in Finnish we don't have genders at all). Pronouncing Danish is something I have yet to understand and the numerals are rather peculiar... Icelandic, pronounciation and some grammatical things... I'd say Norwegian is the next easiest after Swedish, as there very close to each other. In Finnish we have 24 grammatical cases called sijamuodot. xD Oh, and whereas Finnish is very regular language, every rule has at least one abnormality. And the words inflect nearly in every way possible. As for the school system there... That's wrong. In Finland the first thing they teach to us is that we're _not _learning the things to pass a exam but for life! We're also taught about 11 mandatory subjects all the years we are at school. That's why Finns also have a good general knowledge.

**_PuffinCup: _**Answered already. xD Lenghtly and profusely.

**_Sylvia: _**Thank you! I'll be waiting that. :D

* * *

Su-chan: Now! The thing everyone has (probably) been waiting for!  
Sealand: *dramatic drumming*  
Su-chan: Thank Sea! **Poll results!**

Su-chan: First I want to hear the characters opinions as well. Which one they want and why? Who starts? The options are _"Unparalleled"_ and _"Blind Love"_.  
Norway: *raises hand*  
Su-chan: Norge?  
Norway: *fold arms* I want _"Unparalleled"_. The less DenNor the better.  
Su-chan: *whisles innocently* (I have DenNor plot line for UP as well but Nor doesn't need to know about that.)  
Norway: What is it?  
Su-chan: Oh, nothing~... Next one. Den?  
Denmark: _"Blind Love"_! Because of the DenNor! :D  
Norway: *glares Den*  
Su-chan: *makes notes smiling* Next? Icey?  
Iceland: *glances Nor and smirks* _"Blind Love"_.  
Norway: Traitor...  
Su-chan: And why, Ice?  
Iceland: *shrug* I get to boss Den around. You said I'd get to keep Mr. Puffin. And the other option is just embarrassing...  
Su-chan: Okay... *makes marking* Fin?  
Finland: _"Unparalleled"_. 'Cause I really wanna do gymnastics!  
Norway: *smiles a bit*  
Su-chan: Ruotsi?  
Sweden: S'me as Fin. S'me re'son.  
Su-chan: O...kay... *makes markings* Prussia?  
Prussia: Huh? The awesome me gets to answer too? *shakes head* Of course I get! Which one I have a bigger role, Mädel?  
Su-chan: I'm still not a "Mädel". *narrows eyes annoyedly* And you drive an automobile in BL and you befriend with Den. In UP, you're a gymnast in West Europe's team. Not really showing too often.  
Prussia: Oooh! Then the awesome me will give my vote to _"Bli-_  
Norway: *icy dead glare at Prussia*  
Prussia: *notices Norway glaring* Err... I-I say... The awesome me says _"Unparalleled"_...  
Norway: *smirk*  
Su-chan: Okay... *makes a marking under UP*  
Sealand: Do I get to answer too? Do I have a role in either! Am I some great gymnast too or a hero!  
Su-chan: Uhh... Yeah... That role... *thinks quickly* (Seriously I forgot him!) Ah, you don't have a role in UP... All the gymnasts have to be on certain age... But you can be Fin ans Swe's son in BL.  
Sealand: Okay! Yay!  
Su-chan: *makes marking under BL* Btw, these votes don't change the result at all...  
Norway: What? You asked us just for the fun of it?  
Su-chan: I said I just wanted your opinions~

Su-chan: And now the results! Ice, can you give me the envelope?  
Iceland: *gives the envelope*  
Su-chan: And now, the winner of the poll is... *opens the envelope* **"Blind Love"**! By... *looks number of votes* A lot of votes...  
Norway: *curses profusely in Norwegian*  
Su-chan: Norge, please, mind your language...  
Denmark: *cheers to himself*

* * *

And now, I only have one thing left to say. **A question** **for Finnish readers.** Mind if I switch to my native? No? Okay.

Eli, onko kukaan menossa Nekoconiin 9-10.7. Kuopiossa? Mä olen ja siitä tulisi mulle ensimmäinen con. Olis kiva tavata muita Hetalia-faneja ja kirjottajia, kun ei ole muuten kun yks kaveri tulossa sinne mun kanssa. Jos siinä paikassa on portaikko, niin mut voi aika varmasti löytää sieltä kirjottamasta. xD Tai sitten kiertelen ympäriinsä edellämainitun kaverin kanssa. Rusetti on varmasti kaulassa (nykyään en edes harkitse kotoa lähtemistä ilman sitä, tulee orpo olo, jos kaula ei oo peitettynä xD). Väriks otan varmaan vihreen tai keltasen. Mulla on menoa lauantaina, joten oon tulossa sinne vasta sunnuntaiks. Jos näätte mua siellä, niin rohkeesti vaan puhumaan. Lupaan, etten pure. :D

And there you see an average example of spoken Finnish being written.

See you again in next chapter, I'll probably update next time at the halfway or end of July. I have a feeling 10th chapter is going to be shorter. (Don't have too much material for that one. xD) Also, ideas who should make disclaimer next? I refuse to take Russia, France or Belarus in my ANs. Also, I'm probably going to write an idea I call "Mayfly" next which might delay MoJ's 10th chapter a bit.

Please review!


	10. Det brutte løftet part 1

**AN:** Hello again, dear readers. This is Norway speaking (or typing, whatever). SomeSnowInShell is very sorry to have made you waiting the chapter so long, 6 months is unforgivable (and she knows it herself, too)... *aims a light kick to Su-chan's side to where she's lying on the floor* ...but I don't think you want to hear her long list of excuses (nor do I bother to list all them, when I can use my time better). Let's just say we have all had hard times lately. What matters, is that we- _she_ is back now, and I will personally make sure she will not drop her stories this long again. I think that's all for me. She thanks for all the reviews and support she has gotten for her "crap", as she calls it. Oh, and she hopes longer chapter will make it slightly easier for you to forgive her. That's all for me. Now she better be going to type the rest herself... -Norway

**Norway:** *raises hands from keyboard and turns to authoress lying on her back on the floor* I typed the thing. Will you now _kindly_ lift your feet from my lap?  
**Su-chan:** Nu-uh! I told you I have to have my feet up when I'm thinking! And since you stole my chair...  
**Norway:** Let's face it, you're just feeling lazy. What could you possibly be "thinking" anyway? Hm?  
**Su-chan:** The thing I'm gonna say at the end. About this story's meaning to me. *slightly somber, but mostly neutral expression*  
**Norway:** ... ...Right...  
**Su-chan:** You get it? *serious look*  
**Norway:** Yes... But if you don't lift your feet from my lap _this instant_, I'm going to tickle you.  
**Su-chan:** *eyes widen and lifts her feet quickly to the floor* You're evil, Norge...  
**Norway:** So I have been told.  
**Su-chan:** *glares for a while before sighs and turns to look away*  
**Norway:** ... *sighs* Cheer up, will you? Look, there's snow outside. *points out the window* You like snow, right?  
**Su-chan:** No, there's not. It melted today. Again.  
**Norway:** ...Okay. Look here then. *wiggles a chocolate bar in the air*  
**Su-chan:** *looks Norge and glares* You stole my chocolate. *sits up and snatches the bar back*  
**Norway:** *stands up from the chair quickly and lifts Su-chan easily in the air by her waist*  
**Su-chan:** *lets out a silent scream* Norja, irti! (="Norway, let go!")  
**Norway:** *sets Su-chan down in her chair and knocks her head gently but sharply* I've told you to call me Norge. *picks the chocolate up from the floor where Su-chan dropped it when being lifted*  
**Su-chan:** *doesn't listen, raking fingers through her hair to make herself presentable* Ah... My bangs... They've gotten too long... I can't see anything!  
**Norway:** Pin them?  
**Su-chan:** No! I hate pins! And my hair is so slippery no pins stay in it!  
**Norway:** *pulls out a small cross shaped pin from his pocket, identical to the one in his hair, but slightly smaller* Let me pin them for you then.  
**Su-chan:** Did you listen at all what I just said? It won't hold in my hair!  
**Norway:** My hair clips have a spell in them. They hold in any kind of hair and also look good on anyone. *comes closer*  
**Su-chan:** You still won't put it in my hair! No! Stay away from my hair! Ei! Norj- Norge! Nei! Stopp det...! Dx *attempts to flail*  
**Norway:** Telling me to stop in my own language won't help you... *holds her in place easily*

(Btw, now you also know the reason why I always call him "Norge"...)

**Iceland:** *calmly reading a book and not paying any attention to Nore and Suu (other than a slight glare), or Sví and Dan who are breaking apart a fight between Turkey and Greece*

**Finland:** *sitting in a corner with Egypt* ... ^^"  
**Egypt:** *looking around slightly, looking uninterested* ...  
**Finland:** Uh... Egypti, would you like to do the disclaimer now?  
**Egypt:** *blinks and open mouth* That girl... *points the author* ...doesn't own us.  
**Finland:** _Hetalia Axis Powers_ belongs to Himaruya Hidekaz! And now...

_**Enjoy the 10th chapter~!**_

* * *

**"Mats og Joa"**

**Chapter 10: The broken promise (part 1) **

I stayed most of the next day at the restaurant with Xiang and the girls as our plan involving the mall had failed with Marc getting house arrested (he had forgotten to ask his mom's permission to go to the amusement park) and Joa was being moved to ordinary ward so we couldn't visit him before late afternoon.

When we came to the hospital, Natalia showed us to the right room and then went her own ways again. She said something along the lines of having to find her big brother, Dr. Braginski, in order to marry him and told us to call her immediately if we saw him. The second Natalia was out of hearing distance Tino burst into laughter and I couldn't help but wonder what a messed up family Dr. Braginski had. After Tino had calmed down, we stepped into the room. Only to find Dr. Braginski there.

"Oh! Hello~!" Dr. Braginski cooed at us (although he seemed to look more at Tino and I than Berwald or Mathias) with that everlasting smile of his.

We answered to the greeting grudgingly before quickly walking right past him and to Joa.

I greeted Joa with a hug as Tino and Berwald said hello (and Mathias and Joa just ignored each other completely... seriously, what _is_ it with those two?) This time, I had also taken the violin with me like Joa had wished so we could play.

Joa told me to ask Dr. Braginski's and his roommate's permissions for playing. It wasn't until then that I noticed the other occupant in the room, a green-eyed, olive-skinned man with short dark hair resting on the bed on the other side of the room. He introduced himself as Gupta Muhammed Hassan. Both he and Dr. Braginski gave their permissions as they thought music would bring some needed joy to the otherwise quite cheerless hospital environment.

I decided to start with a piece I had been practicing for school. It went very well and Joa praised me and said the change to earlier was notable. Everyone else also applauded but I told them to took notice that I had been practicing the piece quite long already.

Afterwards Joa also wanted to try out the piece. I had the notes with me and it didn't take long for Joa to recognise the piece, and he told us he had played it as well when he was younger.

Even though Joa said I had gotten better, I could still hear the huge gap in our skills as he played. Joa's fingers moved graciously on the strings without a single mistake or unnecessary movement, he looked to be so much in his music that he didn't even notice his audience. I, on the other hand, sometimes got nervous of making mistakes while playing to audience that my fingers would just refuse to listen to the orders from my brain, and I would start fumbling with the strings and ended up playing wrong ones. I needed to calm down, Mr. Edelstein told me.

Joa, too, got applauded and it wasn't until then that he woke up from his music-induced trance. After the first pieces, Joa and I started taking turns in playing. I also sang with Joa accompanying me with the violin. We passed an hour like this without even noticing.

"Wow...!" Tino exclaimed as we finished yet another piece. "We have to buy another violin so you can play together!"

"It's not that easy." Joa objected. "Finding a good violin that also suits you is difficult. I'm rather fond of this one, too."

"Oh? How long have you had it? And how long have you played the violin? You're really good!" Tino bombed Joa with questions.

"I got this violin when I turned thirteen." For some odd reason I noticed that this sentence caught Mathias' attention, and his blue orbs trained on Joa for a moment longer than necessary - and a moment longer than I would have liked - before he turned to look out of the window again like nothing had happened. "I started to play violin when I was four. Back then I still lived in Norway," Joa continued.

"Ah... I can understand why it is so dear to you," Tino smiled.

"Hmm... Though I need to get a new violin at some point as it seems Audun has taken this one all to himself." Joa said. I sent Joa a slightly annoyed glance. "This violin is also getting a bit too small for me."

"Too small? There are different sizes of violins?" Tino asked, looking confused.

"Yes." Joa answered and gently stroked the surface of the violin. "This one is a 3/4 violin, I would already need a 4/4 one."

"Ohh..."

"Do you play anything, Tino?"

"Ah! I played the kantele when I was younger but..." Tino glanced Dr. Braginski quickly from the corner of his eye. "I haven't played it for years now... I think I still have it somewhere but I doubt I can't remember anything about how to play it anymore..."

"Why did you stop playing?" I asked.

Tino looked slightly shocked by my question. "I..." he stammered, "I'd... rather not speak about it." Tino trailed off quietly with his eyes downcast.

Was Dr. Braginski the reason Tino had stopped playing?

_"Believe me, there are also things Tino doesn't like to speak about."_

It seems like Xiang was right.

Awkward silence spread around the room and was only broken by Dr. Braginski's beeper and his words as he excused himself out of the room.

Tino waited for a few minutes after Dr. Braginski's footsteps had faded away before distracting the topic away from himself by asking Mr. Hassan, Joa's silent room mate if he, too, played something.

"Flute. Sometimes." Mr. Hassan answered in deadpan from where he was resting in his bed with his left leg in a plaster cast propped up.

Joa got interested and started asking Mr. Hassan more questions concerning his flute. We decided to leave as it was soon time for dinner. It was Tino's turn to cook and I never knew what to expect from him. He was very fond of making Finnish food.

I bid my goodbyes to Joa with a quick hug and promised to come and visit him again tomorrow.

- / - / -

My visits continued like this for the two weeks or so. I went straight from the school to the hospital and spent the whole afternoon there with Joa. I left when Berwald came to pick me up for dinner. Sometimes Mathias and Tino also came with him, but those times were few and far in between. Especially with Mathias.

One day at school we had double class of Music Theory after lunch and because of that the mood in our table was rather sour.

"I don't wanna go to class! Music Theory is so boring!" Victoria complained.

"I heard Mr. B is going to make us do dictate exercises today." Elise whispered.

"Dictates? !" Victoria cried out exasperatedly.

"Mr. B is gonna hold the class?" Mei asked, "but he's so strict...!"

"Yeah... I know." Elise looked apologetic. "Mr. Edelstein has some meeting so he can't hold our class."

I knew what the girls were talking about. Mr. Beilschmidt, or Mr. B as he was casually called by many students, was my Math teacher and despite his appearance: long, blond hair usually held down or pulled into a ponytail and decorated with a small braid on the left side, one of the strictest and most demanding teachers of E-Academy.

I sighed. Today's class was going to be painful.

It's not that I'm bad at making dictates. No, they were a piece of cake compared to some other things in Music Theory and to me, as a violin player, melody dictates were especially easy.

But the point is... dictates were _too_ easy. And that made them boring. And if Mr. B was teaching us... Oh, boy...

Marc brought me out of my thoughts by waltzing in our table.

"Hey, guys! Are you the lucky group with Mr. B's Music Theory class next?" He greeted us with a wide grin (a wide grin that reminded me horribly of Mathias just then).

"Marc!" Victoria screamed.

I was just about to answer to Marc that yes, we were indeed that "lucky" group but Xiang, who had been quiet until then, beat me to it.

"Yeah. It's not that big deal." He said.

...I think I have forgotten to tell you. Xiang is a real freak when it come to Music Theory. He _loves _it.

We talked more about the class after Victoria had beat some sense into her idiotic boyfriend and we all had gotten over our initial shock after Xiang's statement (and nagged a bit at him for being a musical genius). Before we noticed, we were almost late from the class. Mr. B didn't like students arriving late.

In the class, we were indeed put making dictate exercises. Our assignment was to write the rhythm and melody dictates of the piece we were given. To make cheating harder, everyone got a different piece. Mine was something from Bach. Xiang, being some sort of natural genius of dictates (probably because he's a pianist) got his assignment done in record time and took his headphones off before turning to me.

"Audun?" He whispered and tugged the sleeve of my sweater. I made a motion with my hand for him to wait a bit as I, too finished my assignment. Then I took off my headphones as well.

"What is it?" I whispered back.

"I was wondering... Do you have plans for today? After school, I mean."

"I'm going to the hospital to visit Joa... Why? Did you have something in mind?"

Xiang sighed. "You're always with your brother nowadays... I got a new video game yesterday and I thought you could have come over and we would have played it together... But, no. You're going to choose your brother."

I frowned. It sounded almost like Xiang was... jealous?

"No...!" I started, maybe a bit too loud as Mr. B send us a warning glance. I looked at him pleadingly, I really needed to tell Xiang what he thought wasn't true, but Mr. B just shook his head. No talking during his lessons.

I bit my lip. "Let's talk this through during the recess." I whispered to Xiang. He didn't answer.

- / - / -

I couldn't concentrate for the rest of the lesson as Xiang sulked at me. Once the class was dismissed, Xiang gathered his things quickly and rushed out of the class room without a word. He seemed really upset...

By now the girls had also noticed something was off as Xiang and I didn't leave the class together and rushed to my side.

"Audun!" Mei was the first one to speak. "What happened? Did Xiang and you have a fight?"

Fight? I didn't want to call it that... I didn't want to think or acknowledge it as one. It was just a stupid misunderstanding...

I shook my head and voiced my thoughts. "No... It was just a misunderstanding..." I could feel the tears of frustration and disappointment burning in my eyes. Xiang was my best friend and now I had made him mad at me... But I was a man with pride. I refused to cry in front of girls!

So I decided to just send them a troubled look while biting my lip some more, silently asking for help.

Victoria (of all people!) was the one to come up with a solution plan for my problem.

"Liz and Mei," she addressed the other two girls, "listen good. Mei," she turned to look Mei. "You have Art class with Xiang next, right?"

Mei nodded.

"Good! Try to speak to him about this and find out the reason why he got so upset. Also, try to get him to forgive Audun."

Mei nodded again, signaling that she had understood her mission.

Victoria turned to Elise next. "Liz?"

"Yes?" Elise answered in an almost soldier-like manner.

"You have Math with Audun. Take care of him."

"I understand!"

Why does it always seem to end like this? You know, me being paired up with Elise? ...Not that I'm complaining or anything...

"What about you?" I asked Victoria with my left, near-white brow raised just slightly.

"Me? I have to hurry to my signing class! Mr. Edelstein will hang me if I arrive late again!" She started running away but then turned and shouted at us. "Let's meet at the hall during the recess and work this out then! Good luck, everyone!"

And then she was gone.

Elise and I started to walk towards the Math class in silence that soon began to feel oppressive. Even though we had known each other for a few months already, it was still very _very _rare that others left me alone with her. Usually there was always someone else (usually Mei) to break the ice.

"..."

"..."

Elise fingered the hem of her sweater, and I concentrated on readjusting the ribbon on my neck. The silence was unbearable. I have to think up something to say...

"I was thinking..." We started speaking at the same time and laughed.

"Ah, you first, Audun..."

"No, no! I didn't have anything important to say, you go first!"

"No, everything you say is important!"

I cursed my face that decided to heat up from Elise's comment. "...Fine. I... I was just wondering if you were good in Math." Knowing Elise, she was probably a Math genius. Not that I am bad in Math either.

"Well, I... struggle with Math a bit... Mona has to help me in class sometimes and Victoria, or occasionally Vash, helps me with homework."

...Oh. Elise sat on the other side of the class room next to Mona, so I had never gotten to know this part of her. I had learnt Math from Joa's old high school Math books and I was actually little more advanced in Math than others my age.

"What about you, Audun? Are you good in Math?"

"What? Ah..." Damn me for spacing out again...! "I... I'm pretty good, I guess."

"That's nice."

"Hmm." Maybe I could someday help her with her homework instead of Victoria or her brother. "Now, can I ask, what were you about to say earlier?"

"Oh! I was just going to ask about you and Xiang... What I mean is, you usually get along so well, but now he suddenly looked so upset with you... So, what happened this time?"

"It was a misunderstanding."

"I understood that... Of course I also understand if you don't want to speak about it... But... I was just wondering, what did he misunderstand?"

I explained the situation to her quickly but before she could ask any further questions, we arrived to the class.

I can't say I remember too much from that lesson. As soon as the class was over, we hurried to the half an hour that was our home room class. I was in the same class with Xiang, Mei, Victoria and Elise (Marc was one year upper). Our home room teacher was, surprise surprise, Elizaveta.

"Hi Elise, hi Audun, how has your day been?" She greeted us when we walked through the door. Elise smiled and nodded, "very good, Ms. Elizaveta," before walking to sit down to her normal place next to Victoria, who was already in the class. "What about you, Audun?" Elizaveta asked me.

"Uh, I'm okay..."

"Has something happened?" Elizaveta's smile dropped a bit.

"Kinda..." I escaped her questioning eyes and walked to my own usual place, leaving the seat next to me vacant for Xiang.

A few minutes later Xiang and Mei walked in the class. Mei didn't cast a glance to my way and walked straight to Victoria and Elise. For a moment, I was scared that Xiang would follow her but to my great relief, he headed towards me and sat down on the empty seat without a word. I wondered if this meant that Mei had succeed and Xiang had forgiven me. The silence between us was unnerving but it was also understandable as Elizaveta had gotten the roll call done and was starting to make announcements and notices to our class. I, too, turned my attention to the board that our teacher was writing on and copy the notes, when I felt a paper being slid under my fingers. I looked down just in time to see Xiang draw his hand back. A folded note was tucked under my left hand, the paper looking like it had been ripped from Xiang's notebook. I opened the note and read it.

"_Have stuff to tell you._

_Talk to you at recess._

_-X"_

"Okay." I whispered to him while trying to conceal the little smile that tucked my lips. Xiang glanced me from the corner of his eye and I could have swore I saw his lips curl slightly upwards as well.

I guess we're friends again.

When the recess started I had to wait a bit as Xiang put his stuff back into his bag. I saw the girls leave the classroom (Mei giving me a fast thumbs-up) but I knew they would be waiting for us in the corridor. And I guess Xiang knew this, too.

"I'm a bit hungry," were the first words he said to me after the disastrous Music Theory class earlier. "Let's go get sandwiches from the vending machine in the main hall."

The main hall was practically on the other end of the school. Most likely Xiang just wanted to have privacy. There was also other vending machines closer to where we were.

We walked to the main hall without none of the girls following us. Xiang got himself a cheese and ham sandwich and I, not feeling hungry, got myself a coke from the soft drink vending machine next to the food vending machine. Then we sat down on one of the tables set in the hall.

Xiang ate his sandwich and went to throw the plastic wrapping away. I put my coke next to me on the table. I had drank it about halfway. Then Xiang came back and sat down next to me.

"So..." He started. "I wanted to apologise. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have acted like that. It's only understandable that you're worried of your brother since he's been seriously ill and because you didn't hear anything about him for a month, you want to spend time with him." Xiang said.

"Yeah... But even though Joa can be visited without restrictions now, I shouldn't have disregarded everyone else because of that. You have all the reason to be mad at me. I'm sorry." I told him.

"I understand. So, what are you going to do today?" Xiang asked.

"I'd still like to go visit Joa..." Xiang's face darkened. "...But I can also call him and tell I'm going with you today."

Xiang gave me a smile.

I called Joa on the same recess and we agreed I would visit him again tomorrow. He actually seemed to approve I would spend time with my friends for change. Xiang and I walked to our last class together. After school we went straight to Xiang's house and played for hours.

- / - / -

The next day I went to visit Joa again after school. To my surprise I found him waiting for me in the corridor outside his room.

"Why are you sitting here?"

Joa looked up from the small book he was reading. "Hei, Audun. Gupta has a visitor and I just wanted to get some fresh air."

"Oh? Who's visiting him?"

Joa placed the book in his pocket and stood up. "It's his fiancé. His name is Mr. Sadiq Adnan. They started fighting so I fled."

Fighting? As I sharpened my ears, I could hear muffled yelling behind the door. I couldn't quite imagine Mr. Hassan yelling... He acted so much like Joa, whom I had never heard to raise his voice no matter what had I done or how carelessly or idiotically I had acted. And also, Mr. Hassan had a fiancé? As in, he was with a male?

Joa's voice broke through my thoughts. "Now, let's go outside. I told you I wanted to get some fresh air. The air-conditioning here is not working properly because it's winter. It's getting awfully stuffy in the room."

Outside? I checked Joa's attire quickly: he was only wearing his pyjamas and blue-striped hospital gown that just reached his knees. On his feet he had grey socks and a pair of slippers like every patient here. He certainly wasn't wearing enough clothes for the weather, it had been chilly lately and we had even gotten some snow just a few days ago. Everyone at school was wearing a coat. "Are you sure?" I asked him, I was admittedly worried. He was still a convalescent...

"Yes."

From only that one word I knew I had no ways to turn his head. I sighed. "Okay. But you can't stay there too long. It's cold outside."

Joa looked faintly amused. "Are you worried?"

"Of course I am! You've been seriously sick! You're still sick!" I said back heatedly.

He pulled me gently against his chest and held me there, resting his chin on top of my head. "Yes, yes. I know," he whispered before letting go and starting to lead the way towards the front doors. Looking over his shoulder at me, he said, "Come on now, Audun. We won't be there for long. I'll be fine, I promise." I guess I still looked a bit unsure to him since he added: "We can get warm drinks and something to eat from the café after that."

I ran to catch up with him.

Unfortunately my fears were fulfilled immediately after we stepped out of the doors. Joa paused a few feet from the front door and took in a big gulp of crispy winter air. His breath hitched and he started to cough uncontrollably. When the coughing fit didn't seem to pass on its own (Joa only coughed more violently every time he tried to breathe), I had to drag him back inside. Once there, his coughing calmed down pretty quickly.

"I should have remembered..." Joa muttered between his gasps of air.

"Remembered what?" I asked.

"That, that you're not supposed to breathe in cold air too deep because it will irritate even a healthy person's lungs. My lungs are probably even more sensitive since I've been sick." He coughed for one last time.

I had to agree. "Do you still want to go back?" I asked.

"Of course," Joa said and then took in my disapproving expression and added, "I'll be more careful this time."

And so, I followed him outside again. This time Joa didn't even go as far as the first time, but I watched him like a hawk. Joa was breathing in and out with small breaths through his nose with his arms wrapped around himself. Before soon I could see him start shivering in his thin clothes and I suggested we would go inside. Joa didn't object and soon we found ourselves in the hospital's café with hot cocoa (for me) and coffee (for Joa) and two buns in front of us.

"So, you were with this Xiang yesterday?" Joa started the conversation.

"Mm. We played video games at his house. He had gotten a new game that he wanted to show me."

Joa smiled a bit. "That's nice. He's your best friend, right?" I nodded. "His name... Is he an Asian, by any change?" Joa asked.

"Yeah, Xiang was born in Hong Kong. His family moved to America when he was five because of his dad's job. He went to E-Academy when he was six!" Joa's smile slightly wider as he listened. Then I remembered my conversation from last night with Xiang. He had said something about wanting to meet Joa...

"_Watch out, there's a creeper behind you!"_

_Xiang quickly turned around with his character and nailed a shot at the creeper._

_At the same time I noticed my character's energy was falling rapidly. There was a giant spider in front of me, shooting burning, explosive balls of cobweb at me. I tried to fight back, but it was in vain, meantime, another creeper came and slitted Xiang's character's throat open. A text of 'GAME OVER' flashed to the screen._

"_Was that the boss of this level?" I asked referring to the giant spider._

"_I guess so. This round we actually saw it. Next round we can beat it." Xiang observed._

_I hummed absent-mindedly while I fiddled with the game controller in my hands. Xiang noticed this. "Are you still thinking about him?" He asked._

"_Him? Who?" I snapped out of my thoughts._

"_Oh, don't pretend you don't know who I'm talking about," Xiang said with a straight face. When I gave him a raised eyebrow, he continued, "I'm speaking about Marc, your brown-haired Adonis, of course. Though really, you know you should just forget him, he's not free." Xiang dodged just in time as I threw my sweater at him. (I had taken it off earlier.) He threw the sweater back at me, hitting me square to the face. "Hey!"_

_I pushed the sweater behind my back and tried to glare at Xiang the way Joa often did. I could tell he wasn't intimidated. "What were you implying to?" I asked, speaking behind gritted teeth. Xiang still appeared unflinching, if not a bit amused._

"_Xiang!" I demanded, trying not to let the ridiculousness of the situation get me._

_Finally Xiang threw his hands in the air. "Jeez, you take everything so seriously. I was just kidding. But I must say, you're funny when you get mad and try to look scary."_

"_Don't say that!"_

_Xiang ignored my yell. "Anyway, I meant Joa."_

_I fell silent for a moment. "Oh. Well, isn't it understandable?"_

"_Yeah, yeah. It is. And, I was thinking earlier already, from what you have told about him, he seems like a good guy. I'd like to meet him someday."_

"_Really?" I asked._

"_Yeah. So, do you think I could come with you some day?"_

"_Of course! I'll ask Joa tomorrow!"_

"Audun? Audun?" Joa's voice called my name. I snapped out of my thoughts... again. What is it with me being so spacey nowadays? !

"You spaced out." Joa told me.

"Sorry. I remembered something."

"Hm?"

"Xiang. He said last night that he wanted to meet you."

"Xiang? Your friend?" Joa checked.

"Yeah. Is it okay with you?"

"Hm. I guess it's okay."

We both smiled a bit. "Okay, I'll tell him," I said.

Joa drank the rest of his coffee and rose yp. "Should we go back to the room now? I think Gupta's visitor has left now."

"Oh, yeah! I have homework to do, too!"

"Have you gotten many packets?" Joa asked me.

"Don't remind me about those..." I couldn't help but groan.

As we walked back to Joa and Mr. Hassan's room, Joa told me about the reason Mr. Hassan was in the hospital. He had had a fight with his fiancé, they both had a fierce temper even if you wouldn't believe it with Mr. Hassan, and the fight had ended with him having a table thrown at him. His leg had fractured in two places. Now, Sadiq came in every once in a while trying to apologise, but so far those had only led into more fights between the two. Joa sighed and said he was thankful for not having a partner. I wondered if he was ever lonely, but Joa said he always had me.

But doesn't he ever wish he had someone to love? You know, the r-romantic way? Not just as a friend or a family member?

I would.

- / - / -

The next day I took Xiang with me to the hospital. I changed my clothes quickly at the restaurant and took Safír with me as well (I had gotten a special agreement to that from Dr. Braginski). The bus ride to the hospital was about 20 minutes but we found the room quickly (I had learnt the way by heart). But as we got to the right corridor and closer to the right room, I could feel something was off in the atmosphere. I stopped dead on my tracks, nearly causing Xiang to bump into me.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Something isn't right."

"What do you- " Xiang started but I heard a voice calling my name behind me. I turned around to see Mr. Hassan there, sitting on a wheelchair. "He has a visitor," he said.

"Who?" I asked.

Mr. Hassan shook his head. He didn't know.

I was going to ask him to tell me something more of the mystery visitor, when we heard a yell come from the room. It sounded like Joa.

"YOU LIAR!"

But Joa never raises his voice...

I took a few quick strides towards the door with worry filling my mind.

"Joa, listen to me! I...!" Another (male, I noted) voice yelled.

"No, I will not listen because there's nothing to listen to! You were the one who broke the promise, you betrayed me when I needed you the most!"

My concern was slowly sliding towards confusion. What was Joa yelling about and who was the mystery person? He sounded familiar but...

"I wrote to you, Joa, you were the one who never answered..."

"Shut up! I don't want to hear your excuses!"

"But Joa..." The voice sounded agonized but then gained strength again and roared. "Listen to me now!"

"No! I don't want to, just-"

"Joa!" The voice almost pleaded. But Joa was taking none of that. "Get out! GET OUT NOW! I don't want to see you _ever again, Mathias!_"

_'Mathias! But, why was Joa yelling at him...?'_ In a moment of shock I also realised the emotions lying underneath Joa's anger: hurt, but also confusion. I could hear then clearly from his voice.

The door slammed and Mathias hurried past without even sparing a glance at us. His jaw was set as he scowled, and his blue eyes were blazing, telling of barely contained rage as he strode past us.

But behind the blue flames, I could also spot the kind of heart-breaking sadness that Mathias eyes often seemed to hold when he was around Joa.

I looked after him for a while before shaking my head (I was here for Joa, not for him!) and slid into the room Mathias had just cleared off, with Xiang and Mr. Hassan on my heels. We came in just in time to see how the look of anger melt from Joa's face, and changed into one of despair as he slumped back on his bed (he had been standing), sitting on his left leg and burying his face into his hands.

"J-Joa?" I called his name cautiously from the door. I had never seen him act like this, sure he was sometimes distraught and absent after having nightmares but... Joa's head snapped back up at my voice. "Audun... You came," he said tiredly, pulling on a pleasant face (though to everyone else he probably looked perfectly expressionless).

The rest of our visit went pretty well. Xiang and Joa got along and we talked about quite a lot of things. Mr. Hassan also added something sometimes, though he mostly stayed quiet and stared out of the window in the room. But during all this time, I couldn't help but notice the sad, miles away expression in Joa's eyes as he let Safír walk around in his lap and played with the kitten a bit.

_'Mathias' fault!' _I thought bitterly.

* * *

**Su-chan:** *irritatedly undoing two braids from her hair* He got carried away...

**Translations:** none!

**Random notes:**

**-**While writing this chapter, I noticed I enjoy writing fighting scenes a bit too much. xD (Only the fight between Mats and Joa was planned... The fight between Gupta and Sadiq I knew was going to be necessary, but I didn't plan it. The fight with Xiang and Audun was a stupid idea that crossed my mind at half past 1 am one night. xD)  
**-**Then, the names I mentioned last time. Victoria is Seychelles' capital, Sesel is the country's name in the local language (Seychellois Creole, was it?). In Seborga's name, the pun is actually in his last name (Marcello is just a random Italian name my friend found for me) Casagrande ("big house/home") is supposed to be a hint to Casanova, the world's probably most famous womanizer! As for Monaco, her nickname "Mona" indeed comes from the country name, but the pun is in her real name, Monalisa. Mona Lisa is the famous painting by an _Italian_ painter (and inventor and multidisciplinary genius) Leonardo da Vinci on display in Louvre Art Museum in _France_. Monaco is located near the Italian border of France. (And yeah, I indeed used to go to an art-orientated class in junior high... Art jokes, really me? -.-)  
**-**Next... Audun and love~ (As you have seen in this chapter, his onlook on gays is a bit, um... dunno how to explain...) The truth is that Audun doesn't really know anything about love. True love, that is. (He doesn't really love Elise yet, he just knows that he likes her more and differently than others, understand it's love, and... Ah, I can't explain stuff like this. ^^" Anyway, I believe people grow to understand love. (Audun is still has a mind of a child.) I'm not saying I understand love any better (I still count myself as a child even though I already turned 18 a few months ago, also, I have never dated anyone). It's just, Joa has never explained this kind of stuff, love etc. to Audun. (Joa has bad experiences of love and he doesn't really like to speak about the topic.) Audun doesn't even know Joa's orientation. (Joa is gay.) Audun bases his knowledge on the little bits and pieces he has collected from adults around him (mostly in the orphanage) and what he has gotten out of Joa. So, Audun knows being with another male is something unnatural, but no-one has told him it's okay. (Someone should at some point... Wonder who... and when...?)  
**-**And then lastly, the fight between Mats and Joa (They're finally taking contact! xD *jumps in joy*) and what Joa said... Mats is gonna tell about that later! Not my place to reveal! Muahahaha! (Evil author.)

*sobers*** Then, something rather (very) personal. About MoJ's meaning to me.** _**(Please read.)** _*sighs* Well, if someone hasn't guessed it yet, MoJ bases on my very own life. (Further information about that in my profile, or you can ask me. I hate taboos.) To me, MoJ is my therapy. If I want to get rid of the stuff in my past, all the feelings and memories and finally make peace with them and finally receive myself a peace of mind (I'm one of those people who have been gifted with a restless soul at birth.), I have to write them out. I believe that is the solution I've been looking for. At first, MoJ was just a normal little story idea for me (not even my first), but soon, without me even noticing, it grew on me like this. So, when you tell me I portray the characters' feelings well, it's because those are my very own feelings. My way of coping with the past is to write all the feelings out. I believe that if I want to live today, I need to let go of yesterday. I can't go on living in the past. Most of my feelings I have given to Joa, Mats and Audun. As for lighter aspects of writing for me... Well, it's a great way to pass time, teachers won't glare as bad as if I were drawing, it's stress-relieving... And when I write, I can feel that peace in my head that I have yearned for so long.

**REVIEW REPLIES~ :3**

_**Rhythm15:**_ (Yes! Finally learnt to spell your name! xD) And Norge's not always angry! Maybe a bit difficult sometimes *dodges a book* but not at all bad when you get used to him! And he's actually only mad at me for my ideas (MoJ and some others), but otherwise we get along well~ I actually fight more with Ice. xD With Norge we might just debate sometimes. Hm? Google-translations in what languages? In Spanish in Spanish fics? (That sentence makes no sense. xD) You're welcome~ :3 Glad you liked. Ah, good that the meaning of the "Crash." came clear! I was worrying if that would confuse readers! xD And I overuse the word "already"... And Audun trusts Mathias oh so much, don't you think? xD I'm glad you liked that scene~ Hmm... Who? (Just kidding. xD) I think I'll have to send Finland to ask Canada when he has time to come. Next time we have Poland and Lithuania visiting! xD (Omg... What is that going to become...? xD) Ah... My PC does that too sometimes... Switches the marks on my keyboard to match American English... It's annoying, especially when I'm writing in Finnish in Messenger (my PC usually does that only in mese) because I lose ä and ö then! And I don't know how to fix that thing myself... It gave me no problem reading your review. Also, btw, have you noticed your English has gotten much more relaxed now? :) I hope you liked this chapter, too!

_**Variations-Of-Blue:**_ Ah, I'm glad you like it! And I agree that there needs to be more brotherly NorIce! And really, it's said that an average Finn is fluent in two languages and passable in third. Though nowadays it seems to be that Finns knows a fourth language too and are either fluent of passable in it. Or then my friends are just extremely knowledgeable in languages. xD I counted you can hear 13 languages (Finnish included) in my circle of friends. And we all speak Finnish as our native. xD And ah... I guess bilingual... I have the best English in my circle of friends (at least that's what they tell me) and it's scarily easy for me to switch between these two... ^^" And I'm not awesome, the characters *cough*Icelandmostly*cough* refuse to speak Finnish with me... I'm glad you like this fic. Also, Have you read VisayanSea's "Such Amateurs"? It's great! I recommend! I hope you liked this chapter, too!

_**PuffinCup:**_ *sigh* Why didn't why discuss this one in mese, I wonder? Oh, yeah... I remember... Noon-chan was over then... *sighs again* This is a real brick... xD Is it okay if I skip some stuff? Let's see... Nokia-joke, well, we are kinda proud of Nokia... And with my (Finnish) friends we often joke that you can do practically anything to your Nokia phone without breaking it. xD Offensive puffin, well, people liked my Mr. Puffin in "Battle Royal" so I thought he should have his little moment in the spotlight. xD Hmm... Yeah, Xiang indeed has Mei. I have had troubles with sleeping lately... And my bed is normal size... Good! You've caught a lot of those! xD And... Has that stuff happened to you in real life? (Cake messing uniform etc.) Yep, IceLiech is very cute. :3 Hahaha! I keep my phone and other important stuff in my jeans pocket. xD More difficult for people to steal too. And I explained the situation before (I think), Audun misread the situation. xD And everything will be explained later~ I like Dr. Bragiski too. Do you think he'll leave them Audun and Joa alone that easy? xD (I don't like needles either... Audun has gotten his phobia from me...) Yes, the title was indeed in Icelandic. This chapter's title is Norwegian (hopefully correct) because there was supposed to be Joa's POV but in the end the scene worked better from only Audun's POV. ^^" Do fights count as 'romantic'? xD It's okay. See you around!

_**kiki-nana:** _Answered.

_**CutsTheMustard:** _Ah! I'm sure there are others much better writers than me! This is just my first story, too! I'm sorry for the long wait... ;^; And it's a pity, I think I like Dr. Braginski. xD I hope you liked this chapter, too!

_**lothinielflowermaiden:** _Hm. :3 I liked writing that scene, too. Everything in the past will be explained. Pretty soon actually. (Depends on my updating pace...) It's okay. :) Ahaha. I don't really have anything to say on this as I haven't really watched Disney films as a kid, and much less later. ^^" My friends are Disney-fans, not me. And Swedish is good. It's easy to pronounce and gives a good base for learning other Scandinavian languages. Just be careful not to mix them (like one certain author... *cough* ... *whacks herself*)! xD I hope you liked this chapter, too!

_**Kurkuma-sama:** _Vastattu. Ai, paitsi että! Löysin uudestaan sen MADin! Haluatko, että PM:ään sen?

_**Hermeteikn:**_ (I think I'm finally learning to spell your name too! xD And of course I want an answer! Or, well, I answer you so what do you think?) *looks embarrassed at the compliments* Ah... That's too much... Ah, yeah. xD That chocolate is a tad bit sweeter than the chocolate Finns like the best (=Fazer's Blue) so I guess it reminds him of his own chocolate (I've heard Norwegian chocolate is sweeter). Ironically, this chocolate is sold in red wrapping paper and called "Royal". xD (Though no worries, Norge can eat any other chocolate too, this one is just his favourite. xD (Excellent for bribing, btw.)) I'll have to look if there's a way to send some... With Norge I can't trust it. And the real hilariousness starts when I decide to buy both liquorice and chocolate. xD _Oi, maamme_ _Suomi synnyinmaa, soi sana-_ *slaps a hand over her mouth* This is what I get when updating on Independence Day... Ah, I've been told it's either cross or a crack in the ice. I go with the cross. ^^" It's ironic how all the Nordics have crosses in their flags even though nowadays they are one of the most unreligious coutries in the world. The only fault in your theory is that Finland never was a Viking. ^^" Norwegian comedy? That's exists? xD (Just kidding. I have made reseach by myself about Nordic humour and well, all I found on Norwegian was nothing-at-all or some weird uff da-jokes I didn't get... ^^") Oh, really? Usually I hear people telling that Finnish sounds angry/sad or even rude because of the flat and low sounds. xD Okay, well, you don't want to hear me yelling at my mom, I swear it sounds like gun fire coming out from my mouth. xD Yeah, just give Ice a chance and he can tell you great jokes! (His sense of humour just seems to be very black.) Hm. To me _Varg Veum_ was the first Norwegian tv-series I saw. I remember getting mad at my family when they spoke on the tv's sound when I watched it. And I always turned the volume very high when watching 'cause I wanted hear they pronounced stuff. xD Ahaha. I'm sure it's alright... (Norway: Despise my own? How could I do that?) Norge! We had an agreement! You can watch over your kids as long as you reserve from commenting! (N: *not listening* Danish is ugly...) Norway! *pushes him away quickly* Phew... Your fatherland has proved to be the overprotective kind... Anyway! Yeah, people should stop making such comments... (N: True.) Norway! *pushes him away again* Ah, the only differences were some missing letters. xD And yeah indeed... This one got long too... Maybe I should PM next time? xD (We'll see.) I hope you liked this chapter, too!

_**Tanglepelt:** _(Hopefully you are already this far... I was supposed to answer in PM but somehow that dropped from my to-do list...) Ah! Thank you and you're welcome! I hope you like the story from now on, too!

_**LaMindy:** _Thank you, kiitos! Ah, my Swedish is not the best. ^^" (I use my knowledge of Swedish for writing Norwegian as the languages are quite similar. ^^") I'll try to find a way to correct those! Ah! I'm sure there are others much better than me/mine! Yes, I will! I hope you liked this chapter, too!

_**JadenEspara:** _Thank you very, very, very much! I hope you liked this chapter, too! :3

And _now!_ It's my turn to thank all of you! I have been planning. :3 I will give a **present** for **the 50th reviewer.** The 50th reviewer will be PM'd and they'll get to give me **a prompt** for a scene that will be published next time either in the chapter or as an omake! You decide the (main) characters and situation, I do the rest (dialogue etc. although you can give me a word or sentence that has to be on the dialogue)! xD The only rule is that you'll have to consider the main story's progress! (In other words, I can't give you a DenNor (kissing etc.) scene, because their relationship is still too inflamed for that.) Oh, and second rule is that you obviously need to have an account if I'm going to PM you. ^^"

As a consolation prize, **the 49th** and **the 51st** (and others too if they want!) can ask questions to the Nordics! The crazier/more unusual the question the better! =D

**Iceland:** Hey, hey, hey! Why do you tell them to ask us (possibly embarrassing) questions? What about you? You're the author!  
**Su-chan:** I don't understand what you mean, Ice.  
**Iceland:** *flails frustratedly* You. Are. The. Author. Like, the most important person to the story!  
**Su-chan:** The characters are the important people. I just tell their story. *bored expression that reminds scarily of Norge*  
**Iceland:** *completely frustrated, nearly gripping hair* Anyway! If you are gonna make us do embarrassing stuff, we'll have to have the chance to pay back to you, too!  
**Su-chan:** ...Fine.  
**Iceland:** *is all ready to continue whacking his head into a wall of bricks* And then-! Wait? You accept this?  
**Su-chan:** *a bit annoyed* I can change my opinion if you want.  
**Iceland:** Wha-? No, no! It's okay! *turns to readers and points a finger at them*** Ask her, too!1!** *grinning*  
**Su-chan:** *annoyed sigh* I don't get why anyone would want to ask me...

Anyway! That reminds me! I already have a question for Norge!

**Norway:** *looks up from a book* What is it?  
**Su-chan:** Uh, well, you know Den's hair?  
**Norway:** Hm.  
**Su-chan:** Why is it like that? You know, standing up all the time... (It's hard to draw...) Is it like that naturally or...?  
**Norway:** No... *glances Den and then goes back to the book* He just hasn't combed his hair since 700s. He thought it would give him more impressive Viking-look.  
**Denmark:** *appears next to Norge* Huh? Were you talking about me?

Then some more random shit. I got myself a **Facebook** account during summer. Unfortunately I can't tell you it, since it's by my real name (last name included). And I'm not too active there. Mostly just stalk Norway rpers. XD Then, I now have a** DeviantArt** account, too! Got it a week ago. There's nothing to see... No wait! There is something to see! **kiki-nana drew fanart for MoJ!** Go check those out! She has other awesome art, too! (Not advertising, not at all. xD) My name there is the same as here: SomeSnowInShell. Maybe one of these days I'll figure out how the scanner works and put up some of my own art too...

Now, that's all for me this time! Have a great Independence Day (Finland gained independence from Russia December 6th, 1917), eat and sleep well and _**please review!**_


	11. Heimkoma

**AN: **Moi! I'm back~ With a real chapter~ Don't hate me for taking this long. ^^" I had the most hectic spring of my life, I graduated about a month ago... and my chapters are so long. (Should probably start to try cutting them a bit...) The second reason I took this long is that I have gotten into rp-ing... I now have two pages in Facebook. And no, I'm not going to give you links there. I like having secret identities~ xD (Nevermind that I'm not hiding my true identity at all in fb...) You may try to find me if you want. I don't think it would be too hard as I'm not exactly hiding the fact that I'm a Finnish admin... ^^" Anyway, I hope during my little "hiatus" (I refuse to call this a real hiatus because I was still writing the whole time :I ...almost the whole time) my writing style has also developed for the better. ^^"

P.S. I'll try to win over my shyness and put up some art in my DA as well soon. *averts eyes to the side*

Now... The disclaimer. Ice, get here!  
**Iceland:** *voice can be heard from somewhere from the background* Don't want to.  
**Su-chan:** You're really lazy sometimes, you know... *a book flies over her head, soon followed by an irritated nation*  
**Iceland:** Why the hell did you say that? ! Dx  
**Su-chan:** ...Language, Ice.  
**Iceland:** I talk like I fuc- *gets a book thrown at his face*  
**Su-chan:** I told you to limit yout language!  
**Iceland:** *stays quiet, glaring Su*  
**Su-chan:** Now, be a good boy and do the disclaimer. You're the only Nordic that hasn't done it yet.  
**Iceland:** Heeell no.  
**Su-chan:** And why not? *getting irritated*  
**Iceland:** Because you're evil. :I  
**Su-chan:** And you're childish. :I  
**Iceland:** AM NOT!  
**Finland:** *runs in from somewhere* Guyys! Don't fight!

...

**Canada:** *forgotten by everyone (again)* SomeSnowInShell doesn't own **Axis Powers Hetalia**. She is just using us, the characters of **Himaruya Hidekaz**, for her own and hopefully also your amusement. *does a quick bow before turning invisible again*

Hope you enjoy~

- Dedicated to **Shannon**, my lovable (though sometimes annoying) twin. :3 -

"**Mats og Joa"**

**Chapter 11: Homecoming**

Joa was discharged about a week later. Dr. Braginski told him to come for check-up every month so Joa's recovery could be monitored until the course of antibiotics he was on ended. Dr. Braginski also told us to call him if anything came up.

"What about working? Can I work?" Joa asked.

"Hmm..." Dr. Braginski stared Joa critically for while. "No hard work," he said, "I would recommend you to start by working only a few hours per day and increase the number of hours you work gradually over the weeks. You have yet to regain your strength fully and that's your most important job to do. So, no hard work. We don't want you to get sick again, da?" Dr. Braginski smiled.

"Mm. I understand." Joa rose up from the chair he had been sitting on, talking with Dr. Braginski and took the bag which held his few belongings he had had with him in the hospital. Belward and Mathias rose up from their chairs, too. Tino wasn't with us, he was at the restaurant, making last arrangements for the party we were holding for Joa's homecoming. He hadn't listened when I told him Joa didn't like crowds. At all.

"Hey, I can carry that bag to you." I heard Mathias say, his arm extended towards Joa to take his bag. When Joa just shot a cold glare at him, his face fell and the arm dropped back to his side. I couldn't find any sympathy for Mathias from myself. It was his own fault.

Our car ride back to the restaurant was an extremely silent one (to think Mathias was in the car too). Berwald drove and Mathias sat next to him in the front. From my seat, all that I could see of him was the back of his head. He sat with his head bent forward, and the only thing that told me he wasn't sleeping was his breathing. Joa sat next to me in the back, behind driver's seat. I guess, from his seat he could have seen Mathias' expression if he had just looked that way. But no, Joa was staring out the window, lightly tapping his fingers to his tight. At this point he had of course also changed to normal clothes, now wearing straight-legged trousers and a dark blue sweater underneath his brown coat. His hair was fastened the usual way with the cross clip. On his neck I had made him wear his blue and grey scarf, it was winter after all. He looked good now, maybe a little pale and a bit too thin (that would be easily taken care of with Francis and Yao's cooking) and his eyes hinted on slight tiredness after his long sickness, but he still looked very handsome in his clothes.

...You didn't hear that from me just now. I'm not into men no matter what Marc and Xiang say.

And Joa is like my brother for goodness' sake!

A-anyway... The silence in the car was very close to eerie. No-one was bickering and even the radio was closed. Once we got to the restaurant however, it was an another story all together...

Back at the restaurant I found out Tino _clearly _hadn't listened at all when I told him to only invite a _few _ of his friends to the party (I had already learnt Tino knew at least half of the city) but back in the restaurant there was well over fifty people waiting for us! The place was swarming! Oh, and did I mention that Joa didn't know about us throwing a party for him? This was supposed to be a surprise.

Oh, what a surprise was he getting...

I went inside ahead Joa and others. I needed to have some words with Tino. He was waiting for us on the entrance.

"Tino!" I whisper-yelled, "I told you to not invite too many people!"

"Relax," Tino said, "there's only about thirty of us. The rest are customers."

"But why so many?" I continued with an agitated tone.

"They're all my friends. I couldn't leave anyone out." Tino smiled apologetically.

I sighed... Right. "Only" thirty. Joa was going to have a fit...

"Oh my..." I heard from behind me. Speak of the devil.

I turned around to see Joa with Mathias and Berwald behind him. Even though he looked completely expressionless to everyone else, I could read slight panic from his eyes and he had also paled a bit as his eyes darted around the room from the big "Welcome Home, Joa!" banderol hanging from the ceiling to scanning all the heads in the dining area.

Yeah, the crowd was already affecting him.

Cue to Tino to get carried away.

"Joa! Ooh, it's so nice to see you again! You look good! Ah, there's so many people I want you to meet!" Tino gushed and took Joa's arm (and Joa jumped slightly) and started to drag him towards the crowd. Mathias and Berwald also disappeared to their own ways.

I could already see this was a bad idea.

Especially as Francis came up to speak with me.

I jumped when a hand landed on my shoulder, turning around I saw our _favourite _Frenchman (needless to say, I tried my best to shake his hand away). But Francis' grip was strong and I was unable to bolt away. On the other side of the room I could see Feliciano and Yong Soo jumping on Joa and hugging him as Tino and Toris stood smiling next to them. After that Yao came and shook hands with Joa, saying something to him and Joa answered. Xiang, next to Yao, glanced my way.

Francis spoke. "Mon petit cher," he started with his voice sweet like saccharine and syrup mixed together, "is that _gorgeous, lovely little __**flower**_," he gestured towards Joa and I almost gagged, "is he... ton frère?"

I regained my composure quickly quickly and answered. "Yeah. Though his name is Joakim, not "gorgeous" or "little flower", or whatever you called him."

"Mm... Oh là là..." It was obvious he didn't listen to me any more... And the wolfish grin he had plastered all over his face was just simply _wrong_.

After staring (and slightly drooling) Joa for a good while, Francis turned back to me. "Could you introduce us, mon mignon?"

I bristled at the name he used for me and for a moment I was about to say no. But then again...

"Fine..." I huffed. The sooner Joa learnt to avoid Francis, the better. I tried not to punch Francis as he yet again started to stare Joa inappropriately. Luckily someone did it for me.

"Aïe!" Francis yelped and turned to look at Arthur who had just joined us. "Chouchou, what was that for?" He whined.

"For being a bloody frog! And I've told you to stop calling me with those disgusting pet names!"

"Arthur... You wound me, mon cher..." Francis said, putting a hand over his heart, but no-one paid attention to him any more as Arthur turned to speak with me.

"Audun... You should learn to_ never_ promise anything to him. It's not safe."

I know," I told him, "I just thought that it would be for the best if Joa knows to avoid him as soon as possible."

Arthur looked thoughtful. "That's actually quite a good idea..."

"Oh, you're so evil!" Francis gasped dramatically but we ignored him again.

Then Arthur's look suddenly changed to nervous and he sent a fleeting glance at Joa, who was being greeted by Kiku and Heracles. He turned back to me, "Audun... Do-... Do you think he stills remembers me?" He said in a near whisper.

"I don't know." I said truthfully and Arthur bit his lower lip. "You have to go talk to him and check," I continued.

"I don't know if I have the guts to go that."

Francis made his presence known again. "Well, chouchou, why don't we go together?" He called with the excitement in his voice only hidden with his usual "charm",

Arthur let out one final angry huff before they both followed me.

"Joa... Joa..." I pulled his sleeve gently. The people around us were speaking loudly to get their voice heard over each other that Joa wouldn't have heard me if I had tried just calling him. Yelling was out of question as it would be only embarrassing.

Joa swirled around, "Audun! ...Where did you go?" He looked relieved to see me.

I pointed my hand to the vague direction of where we had been. "I was... around. There are two people who want to meet you."

Joa raised his gaze to look at Arthur and Francis behind me. He looked a bit uncertain at first before recognition lit his eyes and they widened a fraction. "Arthur... H-how on earth...?"

Arthur's mouth turned into a wry grin. "It's been a while, Joakim. How have you been?"

Without any warning, Joa flinched. "P-please... Don't use that name... We're friends, just call me Joa...!" He said hurriedly.

Arthur's massive eyebrows creased. "Well, okay, but... I thought you hated nicknames, Joak- Joa."

"It's just... forget it." Joa turned his head to look away. I could feel confusion seeping into my mind as well.

"But, but! Mon cher, maybe it's just _your_ nicknames that _le beau fleur_ doesn't like." This was Francis (of course).Without anyone noticing, he had sneaked right next to Joa and wrapped an arm around his waist. Dangerously close to Joa's... well, backside. I glared as he took Joa's hand swirled him around so he faced him. Joa seemed startled at first before his look slowly turned to annoyed. Francis took Joa's left hand (while his own left slid insidiously lower and lower from Joa's waist) and brought it to his lips, giving Joa's hand a small kiss. "My name is Francis," he said in a low whisper and then added something in French, something I will never repeat to anyone, judging from how red Joa and Arthur's faces turned from rage.

Joa delivered Francis a healthy and resounding slap.

I nodded to myself. Yeah, Joa could take care of himself when needed.

Then, suddenly, I got a feeling that someone was watching us. I looked back, over the swarms of noisy people, just in time to see Mathias turn to look away.

Weird...

I turned my attention back to Joa and others. Francis was nursing his red cheek with a pained smile and Joa and Arthur still looked angry.

"Ah! C'est la vie... But, you speak French, Joakim?" Francis asked Joa and got a nod back. He then turned to Arthur with an (obviously faked) appalled look. "What have you taught to your little friend, chouchou?"

Arthur scowled. "I have taught him nothing, you frog!" Then he continued with gentler tone. "We studied French together in high school for about six months before Joa switched to German."

That was new information for me, too.

Before the situation could turn more awkward with the silence that Arthur's story had created, Alfred popped into the scene.

"Hey, Iggy, I've been looking for you!"

Arthur let out a grotesque snarl.

"You...!" He growled, "didn't I tell you to wait at home?"

"But it was boring! Mattie's here, so I also couldn't call him to watch movies with me! And Tino and Mathias are my buds too!"

"I don't care, git! I told you to wait at home!"

"B-but I got scared, Iggy, there was something under my bed!"

"I've told you not to watch horror films alone! Call Kiku!"

"Kiku's here too!"

Joa chuckled. "Could you introduce me to your friend, Arthur?"

The Englishman made a small "tsk" sound. "Fine. This is Alfred, my charge. We work in the same company. I think that also makes him think that we live together."

Alfred extended his hand to shake hands with Joa. "Alfred F. Jones, hero at your service!" He shouted. "Arthur's my partner at work, I've taken care of him all these years!"

Arthur snorted. "Hah! We were introduced to each other only about a year ago!"

"I had seen you before! I saved your life!" Alfred insisted.

"Yes. Once. And my life was never in danger!"

"He had a knife!" Alfred continued insisting.

"I could have handled it myself!"

"You looked like you were ready to cry!"

"Shut your trap this instant, you blasted brat!"

Arthur was now yelling with his face beet red while Alfred wasn't looking much different. As amusing as the scene looked, Francis told me and Joa to follow him as he started to leave. Arthur would find us once he was done with Alfred.

Francis led us to greet Gilbert, with him there was also quite a lot of others. Feliciano was hanging from the arm of a tall and muscular, distantly familiar looking blond man, smiling and talking animatedly to him. Francis draped his arm over the shoulders of Gilbert and another, brown-haired and green-eyed, cheery looking man who was holding a very angry looking Feliciano from bolting away. Mathias, who was talking with Gilbert as we came, silenced quickly when Joa came to his view.

Wait... I soon realised the other Italian man had to be Feliciano's brother, Lovino. Lovino's hair was slightly darker than Feliciano's and the trademark curl was sticking to a different direction. The most notable difference however was in their personalities. Whereas Feliciano was always happy, Lovino was spitting out Italian profanities (that's what they sounded like, I had heard Marc curse a few times) at his companion, whom I now realised had to be his Spanish "not-boyfriend" Antonio.

"Audun!" Feli shouted as soon as he noticed me.

"Hi, Feli."

He looked past me and greeted Joa and Francis as well. "Hi, Joa! Hi, Francis!"

Joa just nodded back and Francis laughed and reached over to ruffle Feli's hair. Unfortunately this set Lovino off.

"Bastardo! Don't you dare to lay a hand on Feli!"

"No te preocupes, Lovi~ Francis está okay~" Antonio said.

"_'Don't worry'_? You tell me not to worry when some animal is harassing my brother? !"

"Ouch." Francis gasped. "So cold, Lovino. You wound me!"

"Stai zitto, bastardo!"

Feliciano looked shocked. "Fratello! Don't use that kind of language!"

"Lovi...mi tomate. Don't yell, be nice to Francis." Antonio tried to calm him down.

Yet again, it didn't work. Loviono snapped completely. "Nice? _Nice? _You're telling me to be _nice_, you idiota? ! And I'm not your tomato!"

"Fratello... Don't get angry..."

"Shut _up_, Feli! This has nothing to do with you! Argh! I knew I shouldn't have come, every place just full of idiote!"

"Lovino... Calm down." The tall blond next to Feli spoke for the first time. His voice was deep and strong and held a feeling of authority.

Lovino didn't seem to like Feli's friend. "Don't you tell me what to do, you potato bastard!"

Feliciano gasped again. "Fratello! Don't talk to Ludwig like that!"

Lovino just started Feliciano furiously for a while before storming to the opposite direction.

"Fratello? Where are you going?"

"Home!"

Feliciano tried to go after Lovino but Ludwig held him back and Antonio spoke, "Don't worry, Feli, I'll go after him." He smiled and and took off running after Lovino, calling out something like "Fusosososo~" as he went.

"DON'T FOLLOW ME!" We could hear Lovino yell before the two disappeared into the masses of people.

"There they went..." Mathias commented quietly and Gilbert and Francis hummed in agreement while Ludwig sighed.

Feliciano looked sombrely to the direction his brother and Antonio had disappeared before suddenly perking up again. "Audun!" He called my name.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I have to introduce you to my boyfriend!" He said and clung himself to Lugwig's arm. "This is Ludwig!"

"Nice to meet you." Ludwig said before Feli pulled him down to his level and gave him a gentle kiss to the cheek, making Ludwig's face flush red. Interesting, he hadn't seemed like a guy who would blush easily.

"Likewise." I muttered.

"You know, Ludwig's my little brother!" Gilbert put in and leant to Ludwig's shoulder as he he straightened up again. Ludwig glanced him from the corner of his eye and sighed exasperatedly. "Broder..."

I stared the two of them and soon came to the conclusion they must have been born in the wrong order. Gilbert didn't act like a big brother at all and Ludwig was constantly telling him not to do stuff.

Then Gilbert noticed Joa and came over to look at him closer – or would have came if Ludwig and Mathias' hands hadn't landed on his shoulders at the exact same time and held him on place. Joa flinched and instinctively took a step back. I don't blame him after what happened with Francis and as I knew Francis and Gilbert were good friends.

"Hey! Let go of me! I'm not going to harass him, I'm not like Francis! And I have Mattie!"

Mattie...? Oh! He meant Matthew... But why had an intelligent guy like Matthew fallen in love with someone like Gilbert?

Then Gilbert started targeting me with his questions, "Whitey! Hey, Whitey!"

"What is it?" Is asked for the second time that night.

"I was just going to ask... if he is now that big brother of yours?"

It took me a while to progress what he had said to me. "No," I said then. "This is Joa."

"Huh?" Gilbert blurted intelligently.

"They're not biological brothers." Francis elaborated for me. Just how many people had Tino told about Joa and I...? !

I glanced Joa and he took the task of explaining. I hadn't noticed until now that he and Mathias had been quietly studying each other all this time. Now, he pointedly ignored Mathias again. "It's a story we've been using. It's easiest to just tell people we are brothers. The truth would have gotten me in prison." Joa said somberly.

"And the truth is...?" Gilbert pried.

"I picked him up from the street after running away from my... house."

"Why was Whitey on the street?"

"I had ran away from the orphanage I lived in." I piped in.

"How old were you?" Gilbert asked Joa.

"Sixteen. Audun was seven."

"And... Why did you run away from home?" Gilbert was starting to sound bewildered.

Joa took a deep breath and averted his eyes quickly downcast. "...That is for me and only for me to know." He said coolly.

I caught a movement in the corner of my eye. Mathias had clenched his hands into fists. My own hand by my side twitched momentarily, too. Joa had never told me anything about his past. Apart for the fact that he was originally from Norway.

A heavy silence hung over our group for as long as Joa kept his gaze on the floor. No-one had any idea of what to say or do to break the silence, nor were we brave enough to do so. The noise other people made with their talking and moving around sounded louder than ever even in my ears.

_How could they act so normal?_

In the end, the silence was broken by Xiang who suddenly appeared next to me out of nowhere. (How did everyone manage to sneak on me? !) "Hey, guys. Are you spacing out here?"

We all jumped and Joa's head snapped back up, his eyes giving away his startle.

"Oh... It's just you, Xiang." I said.

"Who else?"

"Well, it could have been anyone!"

Xiang shrugged.

I sighed. "Did you have something to tell us?"

He nodded slightly. "Hm. Gege and the Canadian guy in the kitchen got the buffet ready for us. Oh, and it's Francis' turn to go to the kitchen."

Francis sighed in turn and looked at Gilbert. "Will you come with me, mon ami?"

"'Course! Mattie's there, too!"

We looked after the two until they disappeared . Then Xiang spoke again. "Should we, like, go now?"

I frowned a little at his speaking style before deciding to shake it off. Xiang was probably just fooling around as usual. Anyway, we followed him to the buffet table where Yao and Matthew had set up a wide range of different dishes from all around the world. After loading our plates, we went to look for a table that proved to be a harder task. What table would be long enough to fit everyone of us? Fortunately it didn't take long to spot Berwald's giant form looming over Tino who was waving at us like a lunatic, shouting "Tänne päin!" which I assumed meant that he wanted us there.

As it turned out, the table was just big enough to fit us all comfortably. Feliciano and Ludwig decided to go and find seats from the other end of the table where they saw Kiku and Heracles sitting together. I found out Feliciano and Kiku had been friends since high school, and Ludwig also knew Kiku from a longer time, but the trio of them had gotten together rather recently when Feli and Ludwig had met each other accidentally.

To my surprise, I also found the rest of my friends sitting on the table. Xiang, Mathias, Joa and I sat on the opposite from them... Elise happened to sit right in front of me and smiled when I sat down. I had a strong feeling someone had arranged the seating, Xiang and Tino being the most likely culprits. I glanced Xiang on my right and caught a glimpse of his smirk before he turned to talk with the blonde girl on his other side, between him and Toris... Or wait. It took me a moment to realise the "girl" was actually a man in drag. Just then the blonde noticed me.

"Like, oh my gawd...! You must like totally be Audun, who my fabulous new friend," he draped one arm around Xiang and I felt a pang of jealousy in my heart, "has been telling me, like, the whole evening! But like, my gawd, you're totally such a cutiepie!"

"Um... Who are you?" I put in before the blonde drag queen could continue his rant.

Xiang spoke up when the blonde quieted to regain his breath. "His name is Feliks Lukasiewicz."

"And how do you know him?" I snapped a little harsher than I meant.

"We, like, met tonight." Xiang answered casually.

"Oh, oh!" Feliks seemed to have gotten his breathing back under control. "And I like, work as bookk- I mean, Mr. Oxenstierna's personal assistant!"

I glanced Berwald and got a small nod back. I then looked to Feliks and then back to Berwald. _He couldn't be serious... _Berwald nodded again, as if sensing my thoughts.

Then I heard bickering from my left where Joa had sat down next to me. Mathias sat next to Joa and Joa was hissing to him to shut up. "Try to get in your thick skull, I don't want to hear another word from you!"

"Joa! Can you _please _listen to me? !"

"I've told you thousands of times already, I don't want to hear any more of your lies!"

"But I haven't lied to you! I would never...!"

"SHUT UP!"

I was about to rest my hand on Joa's arm to ask him to calm down (all that yelling couldn't be good for him) when Kavi and Liên came over to our table with a cart filled with plates of some sort of soup. Liên gave a plate to each one of us in our table while Kavi hushed Joa. "Oh you are the one who this party was held for, ana~ So please don't yell at people and especially not boss on this spacial evening, okay, ana~?" Joa appeared embarrassed even though his face remained cool.

Meanwhile Tino was asking Liên why the soup was suddenly brought in. "Oh, it's just something I've been trying to make for a kind of long while," Liên said, "I wanted you to try it out tonight." I tasted the soup carefully and found it to be some kind of spicy vegetable soup, not at all bad. Tino also liked the soup and immediately agreed to add it on the menu.

We ate in (mostly) peaceful and comfortable silence, with the rest of the restaurant buzzing around us, until another person came over to greet us. "Joakim Johansen?" a familiar voice asked from behind me. Joa swirled around quickly and shock and disbelief showed on both men's faces while Elizaveta chuckled next to me.

"Roderich!"

"It really is you..." Mr. Edelstein said while holding a hand on his heart.

Joa got over his surprise first and let out a quiet laugh. "Long time no see."

"Definitely." Mr. Edelstein huffed annoyedly. "To go and disappear like that... What have you been doing all these years?"

Joa sighed. "Been around. Doing odd jobs... Things at home got unbearable."

"Ah, I see..." He didn't really seem to know. An awkward silence rose its head again. "A-anyway, Audun is my student nowadays... You've taught him the violin well."

Joa smiled a little. " Thank you. How is he doing otherwise in school?"

"Oh, he is a good student from what I have heard from Elizaveta... Doesn't cause trouble like _some _of his friends." I heard Marc whistle from the other end of the big dining table.

...Why do people always have to start talking about my school life to life to break awkward silences?

Later that night Joa and I went to sleep in the room that I would now share with Joa. He turned off the lights but left his small bedside table light on and took out a book to read for a while before going to sleep. I turned around in my bed a few times and then called out his name in a whisper. "Joa?"

Joa looked up from his reading, surprised. "Audun. I thought you were sleeping."

"I would be if you didn't have that lamp on."

Joa let out a small snort of laughter, put away his book and turned off the light. I heard him lie down on the bed. "Better? Now, what is it that you really want to say?"

Joa was creepy sometimes like that. I searched for the right words for a minute. "I... Okay, I know this is going to sound stupid... But... Are you happy right now?"

A long silence followed from Joa's side of the room and I heard his bed creak and the sheets rustle in the darkness as he turned before finally answering. "Ja. I think I am. We've both been very lucky."

I smiled a bit to myself. "Okay. Good night, Joa."

He chuckled on the other side of the room. "Good night... lillebror."

~ End chapter 11 ~

**AN: **As seen from the start, I'm trying to make this blabberings of mine slightly shorter from now on... I'm kinda scared some people don't like them. ^^" So, no random notes this time.  
Anyway! In next chapter some answers are going to be got about Joa's past. Secrets have the tendency to not stay hidden forever~

Translations for this chapter:

mon petit cher (French) = my little darling  
ton frère (French) = your brother  
Oh là là (French) = Oh, wow (or something like that)  
mon mignon (French) = my little one (or something like that, these are just random petnames)  
aïe! (French) = ow!  
Chouchou (French) = just some petname  
mon cher (French) = my dear  
le beau fleur (French) = the beautiful flower  
C'est la vie (French) = That's life / oh well (can be used in pretty much every situation)  
bastardo (Italian) = bastard  
no te preocupes (Spanish) = Don't you worry  
está (Spanish) = is  
stai zitto! (Italian) = shut up!  
Idiota (Italian) = idiot  
fratello (Italian) = brother  
mi tomate (Spanish) = my tomato  
idiote (Italian) = idiots  
broder (German) = brother  
gege (Chinese) = older brother  
tänne päin (Finnish) = this way  
lillebror (Norwegian) = little brother

I'm proud to say this time I did most of the language stuff myself! I was in French classes last year a bit before Francis' part of the chapter was written. My friend E-chan helped me some. Thanks for Italian words go to my Spanish pair Tia and German word I asked from my Math pair Heidi~  
Also, I forgot to mention in last chapter... Tino plays kantele because it's Finland's (un?)official national instrument and because Kalevala's main character Väinämöinen was the one who invented it. xD

And now~ We'll jump almost ten years back in time for the little bonus story I promise~ Idea given to me by CutsTheMustard. (I'm sorry I had to change your scene a bit to make it fir my plot.) After that, review replies.

**Bonus story: Concert (14-year-old Joa's POV)**

_The reason I love playing the violin is because it feels like the music washes me away from my worries..._

Tonight was the first time I was playing in my home city's famous junior orchestra. If I did well, I would be accepted in the orchestra. Mamma would be proud of me.

And Erik would be happy I wouldn't be as much at home... But let's not think about him now.

I looked around the auditorium, trying to find my mother to flash her a small smile and tell her everything was okay (I didn't need to concentrate too much of my playing, I knew this piece by heart). Instead of my mom, I found another familiar face and out of shock, my fingers met a wrong note. A blond-haired boy next to me playing kantele gave me an odd look.

As soon as the concert was over and people had mostly stopped applauding to us, I sped off, my trusted violin in its case hitting against my legs as I ran. _If that boy had been who I thought he was... I had to find him!_ I ran up and down stairs, trying to get to the front of the theatre. The other musicians followed me, going to be congratulated by their families, they tried to get past me but I wouldn't let them. I must have looked selfish, but I didn't care about the looks I got. I came to the entrance hall and scanned it through with my eyes. No signs of Mats. I was about to run outside when I bumped into the kantele boy. "Wah!" "Anteeksi! Förlåt!" The blueberry-eyed boy blinked at me.

"Hey... You're the boy who played violin next to me," the boy smiled. "My name is Tino! Tino Väinämöinen!"

"Joakim Johansen..." I muttered.

"Are you lost?"

I blinked. "No... I was... looking for someone."

Tino smiled. "Could I help you? I'm good in finding people!"

"I'm fine..." I scanned the room nervously, if Tino was holding me back too long, Mats would have time to disappear again! Suddenly a woman's voice called behind us in Swedish and Tino turned around. "Ja, mamma, jag kommer!" Then he turned back to me and gave me a sad look, "I'm sorry, I can't stay to help you..." I nodded and soon Tino was gone again. I turned around and ran outside, looking around frantically. I caught a wild-haired boy stepping into a taxi, I try yell his name after him but it's in vain. He's gone. Again.

"Joakim!" I hear someone call my name behind and again, I swirl around fast, a faint hope of seeing Mathias raising in my chest. I only see my mother behind me. And she was worried.

"Joakim! Where did you disappear? The conductor wants to talk with you!"

"I'm sorry... I thought I saw Mats..."

My mother's face softened. "The chances that he would have been here are about one in half a million. You know we live far away from where he lives." She sighed. "You can try writing a letter to him again once we get back home. Come now. The conductor waits us."

"Okay..."

**- fin -**

**AN:** I'm sorry it's so crabby bonus scene! ;A; I kinda lost my mood halfway but I want to update today...

translations:

mamma = mom (Norwegian, also Swedish, Danish and Icelandic)  
Anteeksi = I'm sorry (Finnish)  
Förlåt = I'm sorry (Swedish)  
Ja, mamma, jag kommer = yes, mom, I'm coming (Swedish)

-Tino's mom in this story is Finnish-Swede, that's why he speaks Swedish with her. This is because Finland is the only bilingual Nordic country.

**Review replies:**

**The Loser of the Year:** Moi, ja anteeksi että meni näin kauan. ^^" Kiitoksia kehuista ja joo, noi kolmen tunnin yöunet kuulostaa jokseenkin mun normipäivältä. xD Toivottavasti tykkäsit tästä luvusta!

: Yes, I have somewhat answered your reviews already. Thanks for those. :3 As for replies... It's my aim and honour to keep things realistic in fanfiction and rp-ing. And well... Making stories is kinda like cooking, your premade soup is a good example. xD As for occasional typos... You can see where I have gotten distracted. ^^" (Happens easily.) Anyway, update is here now, hope you enjoyed!

**CutsTheMustard:** I'll later reply to the PM. Thank you for patient(?) waiting. :3

**Rhythm15:** Now it's a real update! Hope you enjoyed. And the horrible stuff is behind me now. :3

**kuro-kirsche:** I was already planning that fic last summer and started but then my PC broke. This summer I _will_ write it!

** :** I actually realised the irony just after your review. ^^" Thank you and I hope you liked this chapter!

**Guest:** Actually no. You're wrong. To my knowledge, Himaruya hasn't given any official human names to Norway, Denmark or Iceland yet. "Lukas Bondevik" is just one of Himaruya's possible names for Norway that the fans have taken a great liking of. And when I started this story was started, none of those options were posted yet, so the names of Norway, Iceland and Denmark and some other characters I have thought up/decided myself. Please check the story's publishing date and your information before you review like this the next time. Thank you.

I hope you guys hear about me soon again. I'm currently stuck on the countryside so I have lots of time to write and quite ambitious plans concerning fanfiction for this summer!

Please review, they always brighten up my day!


	12. Anteeksi I'm sorry

13th November

Hello everyone who reads this story.

I'm sorry to tell you I have encountered certain problems with continuing MoJ. No, I haven't dropped out of Hetalia. It's rather impossible with me being in the roleplay community. ^^" I'm still working on new stories and continuing the old ones, too. But...

For MoJ:

1. The characters aren't speaking to me anymore and with first person narrator in MoJ that's rather problematic. And my writing style too has changed quite drastically.

2. My way of portraying the characters has changed a lot from since I started MoJ... For example, in the rp community I have befriended with a lot of people who are Audun & co's age... And I feel like I'm not doing justice to them by how I portray my characters... Though part of MoJ's plot is that the characters slowly mature... I feel like I'm failing to portray it, though...

3. MoJ has reached its end in my head and I have hard time finding the motivation to finish it on paper/internet too... I want to tell you the story to the end but... Dx

I'm sorry... I guess I'm claiming MoJ for partial hiatus... meaning I'm still working on it (probably), but extremely slowly. I'm also currently studying in college so that takes a great part of my time too. And rp-ing.  
...The only way I can see myself continuing MoJ is actually that, that you allow me to change my writing style there too... I think. But I don't know if I can do that...

Also... Since I'm absolutely horrible with answering PMs, if you want to contact me, just try googling "SomeSnowInShell", I use that name everywhere (except in Skype I have modified it a bit). Recently I made a page in facebook by that name as well, it'll be kinda like my blog about how my writing is going and what's going on in my life. It'll also be the easiest way for you to contact me. :D

As for my rp pages... Someone asked me to share a link on them but I won't do that. I'll just tell you I have Iceland and Finland pages, I co-admin one suicide prevention page and then there's the blog for "SomeSnowInShell".  
So if you want to find me... My Iceland page seems to be currently the biggest daily active Iceland page. I also recently discovered I might be "facebook famous" with him, so you can just go to almost any other big page and ask if they know a Finnish "Icemin". I think a lot of people will be able to point you to the right person. That's all you need to know. ^^"

Yours, Su-chan


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